on Birdtegon tick! sormtliology In this issue: The Breeding Fox Sparrows (Passerella i/iaca) of the Northern Cascade Mountains of Oregon Stephen G. Doivlan 200 OFO Field Trip To Churchill, Manitoba Chuck Gates 208 Birding Hot Spots: Millicoma Marsh, Coos County Tim Rodenkirk 209 Breeding Western Scrub-lays in Crook County Nancy MacDonald 212 The Next Generation Compiled by Alan Contreras 213 Oregon's First Spring Record of Sharp-tailed Sandpiper {Calidris acuminata) David J. Tauten and Kathleen A. Castelein 217 FIELD NOTES: Western Oregon, Summer 2000 BillTice 218 FIELD NOTES: Eastern Oregon, Summer 2000 Kevin T. Spencer 221 HY Northern Mockingbird in Jackson Co. Photos by Dennis P. Vroman 227 In the Insert: President's Message, OFO Bookcase, OFO Membership Form, Year 2000 Listing Form, Noah Strycker, part of The Next Generation/Photo by Bob Keefer Volunteer Opportunities, OFO Weekends Oregon Birds Oregon Field Ornithologists P.O. Box 10373, Eugene, OR 97440 www.oregonbirds.org The mission of Oregon Field Ornithologists is to further the knowledge, education, enjoyment and science of birds and birding in Oregon Officers and Board of Directors President Paul T. Sullivan, Beaverton, (2001), [email protected] Secretary Tom Winters, John Day (2001), [email protected] Treasurer Mary Anne Sohlstrom, Salem (2001), [email protected] Directors Steve Dowlan, Mehama (2001), [email protected] Tom Love, Durham (2002), [email protected] Frank Mayer, Klamadi Falls, (2002), [email protected] Dennis Vroman, Grants Pass (2001), [email protected] Past President Ray Korpi, Vancouver, WA, (2001), [email protected] Committees of Oregon Field Ornithologists Publications Open Archivist Paul T. Sullivan, [email protected] OFO Bookcase Lucy Biggs, [email protected] OFO Birding Weekends Paul T. Sullivan, 4470 SW Murray Blvd. #26, Beaverton, OR 97005, 503-646- 7889, [email protected] Oregon Bird Records Committee Secretary, Harry B. Nehls, 2736 SE 20th Ave, Portland, OR 97202,503-233-3976, [email protected] Members Jeff GiUigan (2001), Jim Johnson (2001), Craig Roberts (2001), Gerard Lillie (2002), Larry McQueen (2002), Owen Schmidt (2002), Skip Russell (2003), Tom Crabtree (2003), Colin Dillingham (2003) Alternates David Bailey, Craig Miller, Tim Janzen, Steve Dowlan, Dave Lauten (all 2001) Oregon Birds Editor, thru 26(4) Ray Korpi, 12611 NE 99* St., Apt. DD-214, Vancouver, WA 98682, [email protected] Editor, Volume 27 Steve Dowlan, PO Box 267, Mehama, OR [email protected] Board of Editors Steve Dowlan, Matt Hunter, Dave Irons, Gary Ivey, Ray Korpi, Terrie Murray Submitting material to Oregon Birds Send all material to the Editor. Oregon Birds publishes articles and short notes on the following topics as they relate to Oregon's birds: bird status, distribution, occurrence, and life histories; bird identification and taxonomy; short notes on unusual observations; birding skills and techniques; bird-finding guides for particular species; site guides to birding a particular location; biographies, interviews, history and memoria; field notes; book and media reviews; news briefs; and other similar topics of interest to die readership. Submissions are preferred in electronic form, via e-mail, or sent as four paper copies, double- spaced throughout; send photos via ground mail, or contact the Editor for specifications on scanning images. Be sure all materials are labeled widi or accompanied by your name, address, phone number, and e-mail if available. See the OFO web site (url above), or contact die Editor for expanded instructions and tips on preparing material for submission to Oregon Birds. The Breeding Fox Sparrows {Passerella iliaca) of the Northern Cascade Mountains of Oregon Stephen G. Dowlan, PO Box 267, Mehama, OR 97384 The sparrows of western North of Fox Sparrow is recognized by the Taxonomic history America are especially fascinating American Ornithologists' Union Through the mid-1800s, 4 distinct and entirely puzzling to amateur (AOU), though 17 to 18 subspecies species of Fox Sparrow were students of ornithology and within four "complexes" have been described based on plumage professional taxonomists alike. described. One recent identification characteristics and bill size (Zink Numerous subspecies have been guide to sparrows recognizes more 1999). The Red Fox Sparrow of the described for many of these familiar dian one species within the Fox far north and the Sooty Fox Sparrow feeder visitors, some of which are Sparrow complex in anticipation of a of Northern Pacific Coast were difficult to distinguish from one change in official nomenclature, described in die late 1700s; the Slate- another, and the arrangement of based primarily on Zink's work. For colored Fox Sparrow of the Interior diese subspecies on the landscape is birders and ornithologists in Oregon, West and the Thick-billed Fox not immutable. To further confound the outcome of this deliberation will Sparrow of the Pacific slope of the situation, the traditional methods mean the difference between 1 California and Oregon were of determining species limits, breeding species with anywhere from described in the mid-1800s. By 1886 plumage and vocalizations, have 2 to 3 races, or 2 distinct breeding and the first edition of the AOU been enhanced by comparison of species in the state. An apparendy Code of Nomenclature and Check• DNA, the unseen hereditary material recent range expansion of Fox list of North American Birds, these 4 that cannot be described in a field Sparrows into the western Cascades species were recognized as multiple guide. Robert Zink of the Bell well north of the previously points in a continuum of a single Museum of Natural History, St. Paul, described range adds intrigue to species. Minnesota, best encapsulated this subject. The possible split of the The understanding of the puzzle for one species in particular genus Passerella requires that this distribution of the races within the in a recent article in Birding (1999), "new" population of Fox Sparrows genus Passerella in western North the journal of the American Birding breeding along the Cascades summit America was expanded and refined Association: "Hie Fox Sparrow north of Santiam Summit be by Swarth in his landmark 1920 (Passerella iliaca) represents one of the described as precisely as available monograph, Revision of the Avian biggest unsolved species problems in methods permit. Genus Passerella, with Special Reference to North American ornithology..." the Distribution and Migration of the At present only a single species Races in California. This work focused on California because numerous subspecies could be found side-by- side there (Zink 1999), though he examined some specimens from Oregon as wTell. Swarth recognized three related groups within the subspecies. He also formally de• scribed P. i. fulva, placing it within die "slate-colored" {schistaced) group of Fox Sparrows, with which he included all of the "thick-billed" races of California. Some specimens Figure 1. Thick-billedfrontal - This frontal view of a Fox Sparrow captured near Marion Forks, Linn Co., leaves no doubt about the reason the name "thick- billed" was chosen for this form. Note the smallish and sharply defined breast streaks, a feature common to all samples from the northern Cascades. found within Oregon that had been likely that the authors meant "south "species," recognized prior to 1886 previously referred to as P. i. of The Dalles," a much more likely and the first edition AOU Code of schistacea in published accounts, were placement for the breaks of the Nomenclature for North American assigned to this form by Swarth Columbia River. Birds. It would appear that the (Gabrielson and Jewett 1940). He Hie third breeding subspecies, results of Zink's exhaustive delineated the breeding range for P. i. mariposae (Yosemite Fox examination of the Fox Sparrow this new subspecies as including a Sparrow), was first collected in problem had delivered the significant portion of the east slope Oregon in Jackson County by ornithological community full-circle of the Cascades at least to Warm Gabrielson (1923) in 1921, later by to the same recognition it had Springs, Jefferson County (dien Gabrielson and Jewett in 1933, and reached in the mid- 19th century. known as "Warmspring," part of then by Cushing (1938) in Josephine Recentiy published field guides Crook County), and ranges of the County. Hiis race is referred to in offer no consensus on die matter. northern Great Basin of southeast later treatments as P. i. megarhyncha Zink's arrangement of three species Oregon. Swarth also stated: (AOU 1957). Hie breeding range for (widi the possibility of a further split "Breeding birds from various points mariposae in Oregon was described in widiin the slate-colored group) of in central Oregon exhibit 1940 as "on die western slope of the Fox Sparrows was adopted by Rising considerable diversity in size and Cascades in Jackson County and in in The Guide to the Identification and shape of bill and in relative grayness the Siskiyous of Jackson and Natural History of the Sparrows of the and brownness of color, though all, I Josephine Counties." At this time, United States and Canada (1996). believe, are best referred to as fulva." no Fox Sparrows were known to Rising did make the caveat that this Though relatively few specimens breed anywhere north of Crater Lake revision had not yet been accepted from Oregon were included in this on the western slopes of the by the AOU. Pyle's recent expanded analysis, Swarth's monograph laid Cascades. revision of The Identification Guide to the groundwork for further Zink (1986) visited the question North American Birds, Part 1 (1997), investigation of the Passerella in the of geographic variation in Fox otherwise known as "the bander's state. Sparrows in a monograph that guide," utilizes Zink's grouping of In their landmark Birds of Oregon, examined genetic (allozymes) as well subspecies, though Pyle falls short of Gabrielson and Jewett (1940) as morphological variation, and recognizing four full species.