ID-FRONTIERS for December 23-31, 2001

Messages are displayed in the order they were received.  Subject  From  Date   Time   Greetings from Belgium   Alfons Willemsen    Mon, 24 Dec 2001   6:55am   pictures of Buzzard species   Koen Verbanck    Tue, 25 Dec 2001   4:31am   RFI: Redhead hybrids   Martin Reid    Tue, 25 Dec 2001   1:29pm   Redhead Hybrids   Joel Jorgensen    Tue, 25 Dec 2001   3:52pm   Re: pictures of Buzzard species   Julian Hough    Tue, 25 Dec 2001   6:59pm   Identification of Brown-capped Rosy-Finches   Phil Kelly    Wed, 26 Dec 2001   1:02am   Re: Identification of Brown-capped Rosy-Finches   Tony Leukering    Wed, 26 Dec 2001   10:14am   Re: Sibley's Rosy-Finches (was Identification of Brown-capped Rosy-Finches)   Matthew Kenne    Thu, 27 Dec 2001   4:21pm   Am. pipit with some japonicus features   Martin Reid    Sat, 29 Dec 2001   11:50am   Re: Rosy-Finch bill color   Matthew Kenne    Sun, 30 Dec 2001   6:35am   Re: Rosy-Finch bill color   Tony Leukering    Sun, 30 Dec 2001   9:27pm

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Subject: Greetings from Belgium
From: Alfons Willemsen <a.willemsen(AT)SKYNET.BE>
Date: 24 Dec 2001 6:55am

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2002!
From Alfons

! ! ! NIEUW  E-MAIL  ADRES   a.willemsen(AT)skynet.be   NEW  E-MAIL  ADDRESS !
! !
Dagelijks vogelsringen van 06.00 tot 13.00 u. in de periode 20 juni/20
november.
Ringplaats;Prov.Domein Broek Denaeyer, 51.04N-04.22E, Willebroek, Antwerpen,
België
KBIN - Ringers  ID : 1395
http://proaction.tripod.com/team/
www.voc-malderen.yucom.be
< Vivat, crescat, floreat Ornithologia >
Wij moeten streven naar het behoud van de ons omringende natuur.
Wij zijn het aan onszelf verplicht.
Om haar ongeschonden door te geven aan de komende generaties.

Christmas greetings from around the world!
Country : Native Greeting(s)
Andorra (AD) :Bon Nadal
United Arab Emirates (AE) : I'd miilad said oua sana saida
Afghanistan (AF) : De Christmas akhtar de bakhtawar au newai kal de mubarak
sha
Antigua and Barbuda (AG) : Merry Christmas
Anguilla (AI) : Merry Christmas
Albania (AL) : Gézuar Krishlindjet
Armenia (AM) : Shnorhavor Sourp Dzunount
Netherlands Antilles (AN) : Bon Pasco, Bon Anja
Angola (AO) : Boas Festas
Antarctica (AQ) : Merry Christmas, Felices Pasquas, Hristos Razdajetsja
Argentina (AR) : Feliz Navidad!
American Samoa (AS) : La Maunia Le Kilisimasi
Austria (AT) : Frohe Weihnachten
Australia (AU) : Happy Christmas
Aruba (AW) : Bon Pasco, Bon Anja
Azerbaijan (AZ) : Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bosnia and Herzegowina (BA) : Sretam Bozic, Hristos se rodi
Barbados (BB) : Merry Christmas
Bangladesh (BD) : Shuvo Baro Din
Belgium (BE) : Zalig Kerstfeest
Burkina Faso (BF) : Joyeux Noel
Bulgaria (BG) : Vessela Koleda
Bahrain (BH) : Mboni Chrismen
Burundi (BI) : Noeli Nziza, Joyeux Noel
Benin (BJ) : Joyeux Noel
Bermuda (BM) : Merry Christmas
Brunei Darussalam (BN) : Selamat Hari Natal
Bolivia (BO) : Feliz Navidad
Brazil (BR) : Feliz Natal
Bahamas (BS) : Happy Christmas
Bhutan (BT) : krist Yesu Ko Shuva Janma Utsav Ko Upalaxhma Hardik Shuva
Bouvet Island (BV) : -
Botswana (BW) : Merry Christmas
Belarus (BY) : Winshuyu sa Svyatkami
Belize (BZ) : Merry Christmas
Canada (CA) : Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel
Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CC) : Merry Christmas, Selamat Hari Natal
The Democratic Republic of The Congo (CD) : Joyeux Noel
Central African Republic (CF) : Joyeux Noel
Congo (CG) : Joyeux Noel
                         Switzerland (CH) : Fröhlichi Wiehnacht, Joyeux Noel
Cote D'ivoire (CI) : Joyeux Noel
Cook Islands (CK) : Merry Christmas, Kia orana e kia manuia rava i teia
Kiritime
Chile (CL) : Feliz Navidad
Cameroon (CM) : Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel
China (CN) : Sheng Tan Kuai Loh
Colombia (CO) : Feliz Navidad para todos
Costa Rica (CR) : Feliz Navidad
Cuba (CU) : Feliz Navidad
Cape Verde (CV) : Boas Festas
Christmas Island (CX) : Merry Christmas
Cyprus (CY) : Eftihismena Christougenna, Noeliniz kutlu olsun ve yeni yili
Czech Republic (CZ) : Vesele Vanoce
Germany (DE) : Frohliche Weihnachten
Djibouti (DJ) : Joyeux Noel, Mboni Chrismen
Denmark (DK) : Glaedelig Jul
Dominica (DM) : Merry Christmas
Dominican Republic (DO) : Feliz Navidad
Algeria (DZ) : Mboni Chrismen
Ecuador (EC) : Feliz Navidad
Estonia (EE) : Haid Joule, Rôômsaid Jôule
Egypt (EG) : Mboni Chrismen
Western Sahara (EH) (Muslim nation) : -
Eritrea (ER) : Melkam Yelidet Beaal, Poket Kristmet
Spain (ES) : Feliz Navidad
Ethiopia (ET) : Melkam Yelidet Beaal, Poket Kristmet, Merry Christmas
Finland (FI) : Hauskaa Joulua
Fiji (FJ) : Merry Christmas
Falkland Islands (Malvinas) (FK) : Merry Christmas
Federated States of Mirconesia (FM) : Merry Christmas
Faroe Islands (FO) : Gledhilig jol
France (FR) : Joyeux Noel
Gabon (GA) : Joyeux Noel
United Kingdom (GB) : Happy Christmas, Nadolig Llawen (Wales)
Grenada (GD) : Merry Christmas
Georgia (GE) : Gilotsavt Krist'es Shobas
French Guiana (GF) : Joyeux Noel
Ghana (GH) : Afishapa
Gibraltar (GI) : Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad
Greenland (GL) : Glædelig Jul, Juullimi Ukiortaassamilu Pilluarit
Gambia (GM) : Merry Christmas
Guinea (GN) : Joyeux Noel
Guadeloupe (GP) : Joyeux Noel
Equatorial Guinea (GQ) : Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad
Greece (GR) : Eftihismena Christougenna
South Georgia and The South Sandwich Islands (GS) : Happy Christmas
Guatemala (GT) : Feliz Navidad
Guam (GU) : Felis Pasgua
Guinea-bissau (GW) : Boas Festas
Guyana (GY) : Merry Christmas
Hong Kong (HK) : Sing dan fiy loc, Merry Christmas
Heard and Mcdonald islands (HM) : -
Honduras (HN) : Feliz Navida
Croatia (Local Name:Hrvatska) (HR) : Sretan Bozic
Haiti (HT) : Jwaye Nwel
Hungary (HU) : Boldog Karácsonyt
Indonesia (ID) : Salamet Hari Natal
Ireland (IE) : Nollaig Shona dhuit
Israel (IL) : Mo'adim Lesimkha
India (IN) : Shub Christu Jayanti
British Indian Ocean Territory (IO) : Happy Christmas
Iraq (IQ) : Idah Saidan Wasanah Jadidah
Islamic Republic of Iran (IR) : Christmas Mobarrak
Iceland (IS) : Gle?ileg Jól
Italy (IT) : Buon Natale
Jamaica (JM) : Merry Christmas
Jordan (JO) : Mboni Chrismen, Merry Christmas
Japan (JP) : Merii Kurisumasu
Kenya (KE) : Merry Christmas
Kyrgyzstan (KG) : Hristos Razdajetsja
Cambodia (KH) :
Kiribati (KI) : Merry Christmas
Comoros (KM) : Joyeux Noel, Mboni Chrismen
 Saint Kitts and Nevis (KN) : Happy Christmas
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (KP) : Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Republic of Korea (KR) : Sungtan Chukha
 Kuwait (KW) : Mboni Chrismen, Merry Christmas
Cayman Islands (KY) : Merry Christmas
Kazakhstan (KZ) : Hristos Razdajetsja, Rozdjestvom Hristovim
Lao People's Democratic Republic (LA) :
Lebanon (LB) : Milad Majeed
Saint Lucia (LC) : Happy Christmas
Liechtenstein (LI) : Frohliche Weihnachten
Sri Lanka (LK) : Subha nath thalak Vewa, Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Liberia (LR) : Happy Christmas
Lesotho (LS) : Happy Christmas
Lithuania (LT) : Laimingu Kaledu
Luxembourg (LU) : Schéi Krëschtdeeg
Latvia (LV) : Priecigus ziemassvetkus!
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (LY) : Mboni Chrismen, Buon Natale, Happy Christmas
Morocco (MA) : Mboni Chrismen
Monaco (MC) : Festusu Natale
Republic of Moldova (MD) : Craciun fericit si un An Nou fericit!
Madagascar (MG) : Joyeux Noel, Arahaba tratry ny Krismasy
Marshall islands (MH) : Monono ilo raaneoan Nejin
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MK) : Streken Bozhik
Mali (ML) : Joyeux Noel
Myanmar (MM) : -
Mongolia (MN) : (Tibetan Buddhist and Muslim)
Macau (MO) : Boas Festas, Sing dan fiy loc
Northern Mariana Islands (MP) : Filis Pasgua, Merry Christmas
Martinique (MQ) : Joyeux Noel, --
Mauritania (MR) : (Muslim 100%)
Montserrat (MS) : Merry Christmas
Malta (MT) : Il-Milied it-Tajjeb
Mauritius (MU) : Merry Christmas
Maldives (MV) : -
Malawi (MW) : Merry Christmas, Moni Wa Chikondwelero Cha X'mas
Mexico (MX) : Feliz Navidad
Malaysia (MY) : Selamat Hari Krimas
Mozambique (MZ) : Boas Festas
Namibia (NA) : Geseende Kersfees
   New Caledonia (NC) : Joyeux Noel
Niger (NE) : Joyeux Noel
Norfolk Island (NF) : Merry Christmas
Nigeria (NG) : Merry Christmas
Nicaragua (NI) : Feliz Navidad
Netherlands (NL) : Prettige Kerstdagen
Norway (NO) : Gledelig Jul
Nepal (NP) : krist Yesu Ko Shuva Janma Utsav Ko Upalaxhma Hardik Shuva
Nauru (NR) : -
Niue (NU) : -
New Zealand (NZ) : Happy Christmas
Oman (OM) : Mboni Chrismen
Panama (PA) : Feliz Navidad
Peru (PE) : Feliz Navidad
French Polynesia (PF) : Joyeux Noel, La ora i te Noera
Papua New Guinea (PG) : Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas
Philippines (PH) : Maligayang Pasko
Pakistan (PK) : Bara Din Mubarrak Ho
Poland (PL) : Boze Narodzenie
St. Pierre and Miquelon (PM) : Joyeux Noel
Pitcairn (PN) : Merry Christmas
Puerto Rico (PR) : Feliz Navidad, Felices Pascuas, Felicidades
Portugal (PT) : Boas Festas
Palau (PW) : Merry Christmas
Paraguay (PY) : Feliz Navidad
Qatar (QA) : Mboni Chrismen
Reunion (RE) : Joyeux Noel
Romania (RO) : Sarbatori vesele
Russian Federation (RU) : Hristos Razdajetsja, Rozdjestvom Hristovim
Rwanda (RW) : Noheli Nziza
Saudi Arabia (SA) : Mboni Chrismen
Solomon Islands (SB) : -
Seychelles (SC) : Happy Christmas, Joyeux Noel
Sudan (SD) : Wilujeng Natal
Sweden (SE) : God Jul
Singapore (SG) : Sheng Dan Kuai Le, Nathar Puthu Varuda Nalthukkal, Merry
Christmas
St. Helena (SH) : Happy Christmas
Slovenia (SI) : Srecen Bozic
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (SJ) : Hristos Razdajetsja, Gledelig Jul
Slovakia (Slovak Republic) (SK) : Vesele Vianoce
Sierra Leone (SL) : Happy Christmas
San Marino (SM) : Buon Natale
Senegal (SN) : Joyeux Noel
Somalia (SO) : -
Suriname (SR) : Zalig Kersfeest, Wang swietie Kresnetie
Sao Tome and Principe (ST) : Boas Festas
El Salvador (SV) : Feliz Navidad
Syrian Arab Republic (SY) : Mboni Chrismen
Swaziland (SZ) :  Happy Christmas
Turks and Caicos Islands (TC) : Happy Christmas
Chad (TD) :  Joyeux Noel, Mboni Chrismen
French Southern Territories (TF) : Joyeux Noel
Togo (TG) : Joyeux Noel
Thailand (TH) : Ewadee Pe-e Mai
Tajikistan (TJ) : -
Tokelau (TK) : Merry Christmas
Turkmenistan (TM) : -
Tunisia (TN) : Mboni Chrismen
Tonga (TO) : Kilisimasi Fiefia
East Timor (TP) : -
Turkey (TR) : Mutlu Noeller
Trinidad and Tobago (TT) : Happy Christmas
Tuvalu (TV) : -
Taiwan (TW) : Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
United Republic of Tanzania (TZ) : Krismas Njema Na Heri Za Mwaka Mpya,
Happy Christmas
Ukraine (UA) : Veseloho Vam Rizdva
Uganda (UG) : Webale Krismasi
United States Minor Outlying Islands (UM) : -
United States (US) : Merry Christmas
Uruguay (UY) : Feliz Navidad
Uzbekistan (UZ) : -
Holy See (Vatican City State) (VA) : Buon Natale
Saint Vincent and The Grenadines (VC) : Happy Christmas
Venezuela (VE) : Feliz Navidad
Virgin islands (British) (VG) : Merry Christmas
Virgin islands (U.S.) (VI) : Merry Christmas
Viet Nam (VN) : Chuc mung Giang Sinh
Vanuatu (VU) : Joyeux Noel
Wallis and Futuna Islands (WF) : Joyeux Noel
Samoa (WS) : Manuia Le Kirisimasi
Yemen (YE) : Mboni Chrismen
Mayotte (YT) : Krismas Njema Na Heri Za Mwaka Mpya, Joyeux Noel
Yugoslavia (YU) : Cestitamo Bozic
South Africa (ZA) : Geseënde Kersfees, Happy Christmas
Zambia (ZM) : Happy Christmas
   Zimbabwe (ZW) : Happy Christmas


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Subject: pictures of Buzzard species
From: Koen Verbanck <verbanckk(AT)SKYNET.BE>
Date: 25 Dec 2001 4:31am

Hi all,

Have a look at these pictures of a rather interesting raptor. The pictures
are taken in the West-paleartic (I will not yet name the precise place, so
this would not influence your opinion on this bird from the start).
Happy 2002!
Greetings, Koen Verbanck

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/verbanckk/lst?.dir=/Buzzard+species


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Subject: RFI: Redhead hybrids
From: Martin Reid <upupa(AT)AIRMAIL.NET>
Date: 25 Dec 2001 1:29pm

Dear all,
I was wondering if Redhead hybrids are known from the wild, an especially
if Redhead x Canvasback has been documented/suspected - and if so, what
such individuals look like (with specific regard to its similarity to
Common Pochard).
Thank you,
Martin

Martin Reid
Fort Worth, Texas
upupa(AT)airmail.net
http://www.martinreid.com


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Subject: Redhead Hybrids
From: Joel Jorgensen <zrtac(AT)GENESISNET.NET>
Date: 25 Dec 2001 3:52pm

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Martin and others,

    Indeed Redheads do apparently hybridize with Canvasbacks and can =
produce offspring that may appear similar to a Common Porchard.  I found =
such a bird 11-19 March 1997 at Cunningham Lake, near Omaha, Nebraska.  =
An OK photo of that bird is posted here

http://www.jorgensencontracting.com/care.htm

    When I first found this bird I thought I had stumbled across a =
Common Pochard.  The features of the bird were intermediate between a =
Redhead and a Canvasback, and thus it made sense to suspect (more like =
hope) that it was Common Pochard.  The bill was the only problem, it =
appeared more or less dark from a distance.  I spent the better part of =
2 days trying to get close enough to get a good look at the bill.  When =
I finally did, I did not find a bill pattern like that of a Pochard.  =
Rather an all dark bill with some paler areas of dark blue, especially =
near the base on the sides. The very base and the parts along the =
cutting edge were the only areas that were truly black.  I published a =
complete description of this bird and that reference is listed below.
    Also, Haramis (1992) described seven Redhead-Canvasback Hybrids that =
were specimens or trapped birds.  Six of those birds were taken with =
Canvasbacks and possessed a bill pattern similar to Redhead and thus =
such a bird would not as readily be considered a possible Common =
Pochard.  The remaining bird had a dark bill with faint blue patches and =
was taken with Redheads.  The bird I found was obviously similar to the =
bird taken with Redheads and indeed my bird was alway in a flock of =
Redheads, as can be seen in the photo. =20
    Hope this helps.

Joel Jorgensen=20
1218 Jackson St.
Blair, NE 68008
zrtac(AT)genesisnet.net
---------------------------------------
References

Haramis, G.M. 1992.  Records of Redhead X Canvasback hybrids.  Wilson =
Bulletin 94:599-602

Jorgensen, J.G.  1997.  Two Hybrid Diving Ducks at Cunningham Lake, =
Douglas County.  Nebraska Bird Review 65:135-6.

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Subject: Re: pictures of Buzzard species
From: Julian Hough <Jrhough1(AT)AOL.COM>
Date: 25 Dec 2001 6:59pm

The photos seem to show either a Common Buzzard (the contrasting underwing
and warm-looking tail seem to suggest one of the eastern races of Buzzard,
vulpinus or menietresi, known colloquially as Steppe Buzzard).
or a Long-legged Buzzard.

Unfortunately, the photos do not show a great amount of detail, but the bird
looks long-winged, seems to show a dark ventral region and pronounced dark
carpal patches. There are more informed people who may be able to add more
insight than I, but the above features leans me more toward Long-legged.

Julian Hough
CT, USA

Naturescape Images website:
http://members.aol.com/jrhough1/index.html


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Subject: Identification of Brown-capped Rosy-Finches
From: Phil Kelly <phil(AT)PJKELLY.NET>
Date: 26 Dec 2001 1:02am

Hello ID-Frontiers birders!

I recently had a chance to observe several Rosy-Finches at Sandia Crest,
just outside of Albuquerque, NM.  The Black and Gray-crowned were fairly
easy to identify (including a couple of Hepburn's types), but a couple
of birds looked like they might be Brown-capped, but I'm not completely
sure.  I have only had the opportunity to observe Rosy-Finches on 1
other occasion, and I was hoping that the collective could educate me!

I took several digiscoped photos and have posted them to the net at:
http://www.pjkelly.net/Rosy_Finches/.  I would appreciate any comments
on the birds shown in 4117, 4133, 4161, 4164, 4171 as to whether they
are dark Gray-crowned or if they are Brown-capped.

Here are my guesses at identifications:

Black:  4073, 4115
"Hepburn's" Gray-crowned: 4078, 4121
"Hepburn's" Gray-crowned & regular Gray-crowned: 4098, 4099
Gray-crowned: 4145

? Brown-capped & Hepburn's: 4117
? Brown-capped & Gray-crowned: 4171
? Brown-capped: 4133, 4164
Black, Hepburn's, ? Brown-capped, ??: 4161

One other question, do adult Rosy-Finches have yellow bills in the
winter?  None of the guides that I have shows the extensive yellow that
appears in these shots on any Rosy-Finch except for first winter birds.
It seemed highly unlikely that EVERY bird in the 70+ individuals in the
flock would be a first winter bird!

I apologize in advance for the poor names and the slightly
larger-than-they-should-be file sizes--I'm on the road without all my
usual tools :-).

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

--
Phil & Joanne Kelly
phil(AT)pjkelly.net
http://www.pjkelly.net/
Kokomo, IN, USA


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Subject: Re: Identification of Brown-capped Rosy-Finches
From: Tony Leukering <GreatGrayO(AT)AOL.COM>
Date: 26 Dec 2001 10:14am

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Hi Phil and ID Frontiers folks:

First - Happy Holidays to all.

Second - responses to Phil's questions about his rosy-finch pix and ageing

Living in Colorado, I have had many opportunities to study rosies,
particularly as I am very fascinated by them and because there are still many
questions concerning ageing, sexing, and species-ID of the three (four?)
species that show up in CO.  I have caught and banded >400 rosies of all
three (four?) species here and have tried to study them to discern ageing and
sexing criteria for publication somewhere.

My take on the pix is as follows (with the species identified from left to
right; GCRF=Gray-crowned; HERF=Hepburn's; BLRF=Black; BCRF=Brown-capped):

4073 - GCRF (imm.)
4078 - HERF (imm.)
4098 - HERF (imm.), GCRF (imm.)
4099 - HERF (imm.), GCRF (imm.) - presumably the same two as in 4098
4115 - BLRF (imm. male)
4117 - BCRF (imm. male), HERF (age?)
4121 - HERF (imm.)
4133 - BCRF (imm. male)
4145 - GCRF (imm.)
4161 - BLRF (age? male), HERF (imm.), BCRF (imm. male)
4164 - BLRF (imm? male), BCRF (imm. male)
4171 - species? (imm.), BCRF (imm. male), BLRF (age? male)

I assume that all photoes of BCRF were of the same individual, as the plumage
depicted (a somewhat rare plumage) is the one most likely to be confused with
GCRF.  This is due to the stronger and more-defined gray patch on the crown.
However, the amount of pink on the underparts is beyond the range of that in
immature GCRF and the black/gray interface on the crown is not sharp, but
blended.

Rosy-finches are usually readily aged by the color of the greater covert and
primary fringes -- white or whitish in immatures, strongly pink in aduls.
There is a substantial minority of birds, however, that has some whitish
finges and some pink fringes or have very pale pink fringes -- I'm not yet
sure what these are.  Sexing BCRF is straightforward, as this is the most
highly-dimorphic species of rosy-finch (contra the paper in Birding on Black
Rosy-Finch).  Blacks, too, are usually readily sexable (if you can age them),
but the difference in plumage pattern is a matter of degree of melanin
saturation and extent, rather than distinct plumages.  I have not yet figured
out methods to sex GCRF or HERF.

I would also say that New Mexico is more likely to receive immature rosies
than it is adults, if immatures move longer distances than do adults.  As you
can see from Phil's pix, all birds that were ageable are immatures, so
perhaps he DID see all youngsters.  I don't yet have the answer to bill
coloration in these things.

Enjoy,

Tony Leukering
Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
Brighton, CO

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Subject: Re: Sibley's Rosy-Finches (was Identification of
         Brown-capped Rosy-Finches)
From: Matthew Kenne <meekeckk(AT)RCONNECT.COM>
Date: 27 Dec 2001 4:21pm

> One other question, do adult Rosy-Finches have yellow bills in the
> winter?  None of the guides that I have shows the extensive yellow that
> appears in these shots on any Rosy-Finch except for first winter birds.
> It seemed highly unlikely that EVERY bird in the 70+ individuals in the
> flock would be a first winter bird!

There seems to be some discrepencies or contradictions in the portrayal of
bill color in Sibley's Guide. If this is a seasonal difference, the adult
variant Brown-capped bird should then be labeled "winter Aug-Mar" like the
1st-winter birds. If this difference is age-related, then this variant
should be dark billed- as should the birds in flight. With the bill color
changes that occur after some birds are collected as specimens, only live
birds or photographs will truly clear this up. Does anyone else that handles
or observes a number of these birds have insight into this? Would Mr. Sibley
comment?

Matthew Kenne
Algona, Iowa
meekeckk(AT)rconnect.com


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Subject: Am. pipit with some japonicus features
From: Martin Reid <upupa(AT)AIRMAIL.NET>
Date: 29 Dec 2001 11:50am

Dear all,
Am. Pipits winter in NC Texas in good numbers, and I like to look at them
when I get the opportunity.  Recently I saw one that had extremely
prominent black malars and underparts streaking.  I photographed it from a
distance via my telescope, but when I then attempted to sneak closer for
better photos, the #$@#*$%&  Killdeers spooked and everything disappeared.
The images are here:
http://www.martinreid.com/pipit1.html
The location is winter home to lots of pipits, but on this occasion, this
bird was on its own.  It called a few times when flying around, and I got
the impression that it sounded just a bit higher-pitched than normal for
AMPI - but I don't think that has any significance to its subspecific
identification.
As always, I'd appreciate getting some feedback on this bird, either
privately, or preferably via ID-F - thank you.
Martin

Martin Reid
Fort Worth, Texas
upupa(AT)airmail.net
http://www.martinreid.com


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Subject: Re: Rosy-Finch bill color
From: Matthew Kenne <meekeckk(AT)RCONNECT.COM>
Date: 30 Dec 2001 6:35am

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Good Morning!

Regarding my recent post, Matt Hunter kindly directed me to this =
reference: Seasonal variation in the genus Leucosticte in North America, =
Richard Johnson 1977, Condor 79: 76-86. Although I don't have ready =
access to this journal, the title suggests the answer to my question.

Matthew Kenne
Algona, Iowa
meekeckk(AT)rconnect.com

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Subject: Re: Rosy-Finch bill color
From: Tony Leukering <GreatGrayO(AT)AOL.COM>
Date: 30 Dec 2001 9:27pm

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Hi all:

In the paper that Matthew Kenne mentioned (Johnson, R.E. 1977. Seasonal
variation in the genus Leucosticte in North America. Condor 79:76-86), there
is much discussion of "bill characters," but it dealt entirely with shape
(length and depth), rather than coloration.  However, there is another
heading, bill color, that reports the following:

"The bills of rosy finches are black during the early part of the breeding
season and yellow during the winter.  French (1959 [French, N.R. 1959. Life
history of the Black Rosy Finch. Auk 76:159-180.]) described the pigment
changes which occur during the periods of transition; French (1959) and King
and Wales (1965 [King, J.R. and E.E. Wales, Jr. 1965. Photoperiodic
regulation of testicular metamorphosis and fat deposition in three taxa of
rosy finches. Physiol. Zool. 38:49-68]) documented the timing of these
changes in late winter and spring."

"repigmentation (increase of black) in atrata was about tow weeks ahead of
that in littoralis and tephrocotis and that in all three taxa repigmentation
in females lagged behind that in males."

"Depigmentation begins about four weeks earlier in females than in males in
the races of L. tephrocotis and in L. atrata."

"In australis the sexes do not appear to differ in timing."

"The color change [depigmentation] begins between 1 and 15 July for males and
between 1 and 15 June for females.  Depigmentation begins about two weeks
later in atrata."

So, it is a breeding/non-breeding thing, but with differing timing among
species and between sexes.  I will have to check that out this winter.  A
hearty thanks to Matthew for putting me on this track!

Sincerely,

Tony Leukering
Brighton, CO

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