A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE WESTERN BIRD

Transcription

A QUARTERLY
PUBLICATION
OF THE WESTERN
BIRD-BANDING
A METHODFOR PROPER DETERMINATIONOF BANDSIZES IN
NORTHAMERICANBIRDS by Don Bleitz.
• . • . . . • . •
DATER (OR WING) METHODOF REMOVINGBIRDS FROMMIST NETS
BANDINGWHITE PELICANS by Eugene Kridler.
. • • • • . .
RECOVERIES OF GLAUCOUS-WINGED
GULLS by Zelle. M. Schultz
RECOVERIES OF ROBINS by Howard L~ cogswell.
• . • • • .
FOR HIGBER MIST NETS by Gerald Klingenberg
• . • . • • •
.
•
.
•
• .•
.
ASSOCIATION
1
4
5
6
7
10
A METHODFOR PROPER DETERMINATIONOF BANDSIZES IN NORTHAMERICANBIRDS
There have been a number of methods used to determine
band sizes,
all
consisting
of utilizing
some method of accurate
measurement
of the legs of
the living
birds.
Since there
is such extreme variation
between various
races of the same species,
and even between individuals
of the same races,
the compilation
of an accurate
list
of the proper band sizes by species
presents
certain
complications.
In order to alleviate these problems as much as possible, a durable and
accurate field gauge of some sort is necessary.
The design I offer is
probably similar to that thought of by many other banders, but seems to me
to be the best and most simple way of approaching the problem.
It consists
of a rectangular piece of aluminum or duraluminum in which slots corresponding to the inside diameter of the various band sizes have been accurately
~"~~~""~~~~"~~~~_"~""mi]]
ed. ~_In-"o~derto"JIlBke~:thi.a
gaJlge,_Lstarted-..by
maki ng -S.OlIIe-.feeJ
er. gaJlges.__
of the exact inside diameter of each of the pand sizes.
In addition to the normal band sizes utilized by the Fish and Wildlife
Service, I have added three others which I designate as X, Xa, and Xb. In
this case X is the size of the Hummingbird bands as we produce them. Xb
being the smallest band size necessary to use on Hummingbirds and Xa being
an intermediate size between these two, suitable for Hummers such as the
Anna's, etc., while Black-chinned, Calliope, etc., would take the Xb sizes.
Starting out then with the smallest, the sizes in inches are as follows:
Size
Xb
Xa
X
0
l
lb
Diameter
.050
.060
.070
.093
.l09
.l'9
Size
la
2
3
3A
4
5
Diameter
.l48
.l98
.2l6
.232
.250
·3l0
Size
6
7a
7b
8
9
lO
Diameter
·372
.435
·562
.690
.875
1.25
These diameters are actual measurements of bands as they are produced
today, and there is obviously some variation from time to time in bands of
the same designated number. The slots on this gauge are each marked with
the appropriate number, and so it is an easy matter to slip the leg of a
bird into the various slots until the proper one is found. Utilizing this
gauge, I have been compiling a check list of the birds of North America, north
of MeXico, including Alaska and the oceanic birds of Hawaii; designating the
correct band sizes from actual measurements.
All of us have been aware of some inevitable inaccuracy in the lists that
have been available up to this time . Undoubtedly, and especially in the case
of rarely trapped species or in the banding of nestlings, incorrect band sizes
were sometimes used, and these band sizes were then included in the list of
recommended sizes. There are also rather a considerable number of small birds,
such as Kinglets, Bush-Tits, some of the smaller Warblers, etc., for which the
regularly supplied size 0 is in reality too large, and proves unduly uncomfortable to the small birds. These are fitted excellently with the size X
Hummingbird band.
The Hummingbird bands that have been preViously described in "The News"
are made by photographically irnprinting the numbers on aluminum which is then
anodyzed to form a durable and permanent image. The bands are then cut and
formed, at this time, by hand. This photographic process has been worked out
essentially by Mr. Bill Kirsher, and I have only added a few ideas in forming
the bands themselves. We hope that in the early future one of the commercial
organizations engaged in producing this type of identification band will produce these small bands in quantity.
During the season of 1959 I recaptured several Anna's Hummingbirds
carrying these bands which had been affixed more than two years ago. These
bands still retained perfect legibility and had caused no impairment to the
legs of their tiny hosts. I cannot recommend the use of any but these
specially produced bands for Hummingbirds.
All altered bands I have ever seen
used, must, if still legible, cause impairment to the birds' legs. Among
those birds, in addition to Hummingbirds, which have been recaptured using
these tiny bands are Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Four returns wore bands affixed
a year ago and one brown creeper from one year ago. In all cases the bands
were in good condition and readily legible.
Nestling birds, just prior to first flying stages and for awhile thereafter may in many species require larger bands than do adults of the same
species. After varying periods of time, the legs of the young birds lose the
fatty tissue which accumulates just prior to flight; and as a general thing
in the case of GUlls, Terns, and most other shore birds, the legs will shrink
by about one band size. Conversely, when shore birds are kept in captivity,
and therefore do not take the long flight to which they are accustomed, they
tend to add tissue to the legs and will then require a band about one size
larger than otherwise. Some properly fitted bands which had been affixed to
some shore birds donated to the San Diego Zoo were, after a period of approximately eight months in the zoo, found to have abrasions from the bands which
were at this time too tight. I have never found this difficulty in freeflying wild birds.
In my banding over the past several years, I have been gradually accumulating some information which is of value for the manuscript of our forthcoming
"The Birds of North America". This information consists of the measurements,
including the measurement in inches from the center of the eye to the tip of
the bill which is an easily obtained, accurate measurement, and which I find
particularly useful in scaling photographs.
I also have been obtaining the
normal perched length of the various birds (which is the way they are observed
through binoculars).
Another measurement that I find valuable is the average
normal wingspread. of the living birds, and in some cases the tarsai and other
leg measurements are included. When a sufficient number of species have had
this information cataloged, I shall reprint the little check list including
this measurement information.
All directions for removing birds from nets that I have seen advise
starting with the feet. Usually about 50 percent of removal time is consumed
in releasing the feet.
The method I use eliminates this time. I have never had a broken leg or
wing in the several years I have been using this system.
First, ascertain from which side the bird entered the net. Working from
that side, place your thumb (either left or right hand) on the bird's back;
at the same time slipping your two middle fingers under the breast with the
tail pointed toward your wrist. Your little and first fingers will automatically slide under the bird 1 swings.
You are now ready to remove the
meshes from the bird.
With the other hand work the mesh off the bend of one wing. The wings
are the mo st flexible part of the bird' s body with whi ch to work. You will
be surprised how easily the net can be removed. The wing may be spread out
or folded tight against the body for this operation.
Don't be afraid to use
a little pressure on the joint at this stage. Then ease the meshes from the
second wing and lastly the head.
The head is usually left until last, but may be first or after the first
wing, depending on the extent of the entanglement.
By the time the wings
are released the bird feels free to fly and usually automatically releases
his own feet. If not, it is a simple matter to slip the meshes off the feet
with your fingers, or you may need the assist of a manicure orange stick.
This stick is handy to use if the tongue has become caught.
In employing this method the possibility of having to cut or break the
net is reduced to a ID.J.n~mum.The faster you remove birds from nets the less
likely you are to find a bird "in shock", as prolonged handling can be disastrous. Ebba's secretary, John Given, uses this method and endorses it 100
percent.
Anaho Island is located in Pyramid
Lake, which lies in west-central Nevada
near the town of Nixon. Established as
a national wildlife refuge in 1913, it
has long been known for its large nesting colony of White pelicans (Pelecanus
erythrorhynchos), reputed to be the
largest in existence today. Totaling
about 250 acres, it lies approximately
one-half mile off the east shore of the
lake. The land slopes gently from the
edge of the water by a series of beaches,
relics of times when the lake was much
higher than at present, for several hundred yards, then sweeps sharply upwards
to a height of over 550 feet. Sparse
growth of saltgrass, alkali weed, saltbush, and greasewood are scattered about
the island. A long neck of land in the
southeast corner juts out toward the
mainland, and if the level of the lake
keeps receding the island will become a
peninsula in the not-too-distant future.
If this occurs, it is very likely that
predation by coyotes and other animals
will seriously threaten the nesting
colony.
Although populations fluctuate yearly,
studies made by a number of observers have
placed the young at various times from 300
to 5,400, depending on the date of visitation. Late June and early July are the
best times for estimating production,
because by this time most of the eggs have
Figure 1. Recoveries of White
hatched, and the early hatched young are
Pelicans banded at Anaho Island,
still too immature to leave the island.
PYramid Lake, Nevada. Circles
Giles and Marshall, of the U. S. Fish and
representing first-winter birds of
Wildlife Service, visited the island during
1954 banding.
Dots are adult
the first week of July in both 1950 and
recoveries of this and other earlier 1951 for the purpose of censusing adults
bandings.
and young. They estimated 4,160 and 3,742
young produced respectively in those years,
and it was felt that the breeding population the year before was even higher. During our visit last summer no attempt
was made to estimate either young or adults because of our desire to band as
large a sample as possible in the very limited time available.
The banding party on this date, June 26, 1959, was madeof John Kiger and
Dale Haines of the stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, and Edward01 Neil and
the writer of the SacramentoNational Wildlife Refuge. The island was reached
by boat from the launching site near Sutcliffe on the west shore.
Although we started at dawnfrom Fallon, strong winds caused the lake to
get quite rough, and travel to and from the island was hamperedconsiderably,
and precious time was lost.
Welanded at the California Gull colony on the
south shore which contained several thousand young. Several dozen Caspian Terns
nests were located within the gull colony. Our landing caused somedisturbance
amongboth terns and gulls, and the latter were quick to seize the opportunity
to destroy and eat tern eggs and youngbefore we drove them off.
Small colonies of pelicans were found farther north along the east shore,
and these contained young in all stages from eggs to those almost fully
feathered.
Closer to the base of the hill several thousand youngwere found in
an immenseband. They pushed, shoved, and fell over each other in their clumsy
attempts to stay well ahead of us. Westayed as far behind this band as possible
in an effort to cause the least disturbance. Small groups would be cut out and
corralled by two menwhile the other two would smoothly movein, seize a young
bird by the leg, drag it back away,and band it, usually placing a foot lightly
on the neck to prevent undue struggling.
During this operation great care must
be taken to prevent the band from jammingtogether and piling up. The weight
of those on the top of the pile can result in the suffocation of the unfortunate individuals on the bottom. This can be especially serious on a hot day.
It is best to allow someto escape if the group is too large for safe handling.
Those pods consisting of 20 to 30 birds are easiest to work.
During the twelve hours spent on the island a total
of 500 pelicans and
96 cormorants were banded. Several hours were spent in running downyoung gulls
for Fred Gallup, who cameout with his grandson specifically for that purpose,
and over 400 of these California gulls were banded. This all totaled up to a
full day, and we were spent at its end.
To date no recovery reports have been received for the pelicans banded this
trip, but banding of young during the summerof 1954 has yielded someinteresting data. Apparently a large percentage of the birds movesouth and west
during the fall and winter. Manywinter along the west coast of Mexicoin the
states of Sinaloa, Nayarit, and Michoacan.
by Zella M. Schultz
48-709052 banded at Bare Island, San Juan County, Washingtonin July 1948.
This bird was seen and identified by band number, by myself, aj; Fauntleroy,
Seattle, on January 15, 1949, whenit was six months old. OnApril 2, 1959, at
an age of ten years nine months it was sighted and a description given meby
Mr. R. F. Oldaker, at City Dump,Vancouver, B. C. It was found dead at East
Sound, Orcas Island, almost within sight of the island where it had been banded
eleven years before, on July 30, 1959. This, it appears to me, is a very
exceptional recovery, considering the age of the bird and the fact that there
were two sight records so far apart, and then the bird was recovered dead.
48-732466 banded at Skipjack Island, San Juan County, Washington, August 6,
1949. This bird was caught by hand and released with the band attached on
June 19, 1950, when almost a year old, at pt. Brown, near Tacoma, Washington.
This bird was observed by Mr. Oldaker at Vancouver, B. C., on July 23, 1959,
when ten years old.
The mystery is, why was this bird so far from its home
island in the middle of the breeding seaSon? It is nearly 50 miles from Skipjack to Vancouver, which almost eliminates the possibility
that it was foraging
from a nesting site close to its original home. Could it have been none-breeding,
or did it settle to breed on some island substantially
nearer Vancouver?
In addition to these
old birds of my banding:
two reports,
Mr. Oldaker has observed the following
48-709323
48-731132
48-73ll36
48-731164
48-731182
48-731186
48-731239
48-731248
48-732161
48-709779.
Flower Island, JUly 22, 1948
Bare Island, July 16, 1949
Colville Isl.
Flattop Isl.
July 27, 1949
July 1948
48-731771
48-731137
Hall Island
Colville Isl.
July 1949
July 27, 1949
11
11
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11
11
II
11
11
11
11
11
11
II
11
"
very
Vancouver, May 7, 1959
April 15, 1959
11
July 28, 1959
11
March 26, 1959
April 9, 1959
11
April 3, 1959
July 31, 1959
11
April 7, 1959
11
April 9, 1959
11
Aug. 20, 1959
Oct. 1, 1959
11
Oct. 22, 1959
11
Sept. 2, 1959
11
11
11
11
Commenton the Bare Island birds:
Bare Island is a far northern San Juan
Island, and perhaps birds from there might be expected to appear in Vancouver
oftener than some of the more southerly ones, such as Flower and Colville.
However, I banded only 181 birds there in 1949, and there are at least 15 recoveries
beyond these sight records.
Sighting of seven birds alive in their tenth year
must"be a phenomenal record of some sort.
In
a large
species
of them
a special study of the American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
at and near
winter roost in Joaquin Miller Park, Oakland, some 444 birds of this
were banded by various WBBA
members in the 1957-58 season.
All but 13
were captured with mist nets set in gaps in the trees along the ridge
between the canyon in which the birds roost and the residential
to the southwest.
areas of Oakland
While birds were captured on at least l2 different dates from November
through January, no bird was taken a second time in the nets which were set each
time at or near the same place (the only suitable one found on the approaches to
the roost).
Although someingress and egress is assumed to take place between
the population using this roost (estimated to total 30,000 or more in 1957-58),
and others in the wintering range of the species, it would also .seemthat with
a roost such as this one in use steadily over a period of years the majority of
birds would be in settled winter residence, and would fly to the roost every
af±ernoon along somewhatthe same flight lanes--at least for the periods during
which they foraged ins particular area. Why,then, no repeats?
One factor, of course, maybe merely that our sample of the population is
such a small one, the bulk of the approaching birds goes over the ridgetop far
too high to reach with our nets.
Then, too, the birds that fly low on one day
and get caught perhaps learn quickly by the experience to fly higher, or over
the ridge at other points on later dates.
Birds banded at this roost and found at other points make a muchbetter
showing, however, a total of l5 having been so reported to me to date for the
winter of banding or the following summer. This includes one sight record of a
color-banded bird.
This is a recovery record of nearly 3-l/2-percent the first
year, which seems quite good for a song bird.
Pertinent data for the recovered
birds is tabulated below:
DATE
BAl'IDED
AND
DATE
RECOVERED
ELAPSED
TIME DISTANCE
DIRECTION
FROM
ROOST
In potential feeding
from the roost:
I
l.
2.
3·
4.
5.
*6.
7·
8.
.9·
*lO.
II
l.
2.
3.
4.
5·
6.
ll/25/57
ll/28/57
ll/28/57
l2/6/57
l2/ll/57
l2/ll/57
l2/28/57
l/5/58
l/5/58
l/5/58
2/8/58
l/3/58
3/3/58
l2/24/57
l2/3l/57
5/l8/59
l2/3l/57
3/4/58
2/l0/58
6/4/58
74
36
24
l8
20
522
3
60
36
l50
days
days
days
days
days
days
days
days
days
days
7.5 mi. NWby N
2.7 mi. S by E
3.l mi. S by W
8.l mi. NWby N
2.8 mi. WNW
5.4 mi. NWby W
3.8 mi. N by E
3·9mi.W
6.4 mi. SSE
l.l mi. SSW
At locations beyond the probable foraging range from the roost, and all,
therefore, probably or certainly after at least some northward migration:
l2/6/57
l2/l9/57
l2/28/57
l2/28/57
l/5/58
l/5/58
3/26/58
4/23/58
l/lO/58
4/28/58
3122/58
5/30/58
llO
l25
l3
l2l
76
l45
days
days
days
days
days
days
503 mi.
473 mi.
l5.2 mi.
640 mi.
700 mi.
915 mi.
N
N
NEby N
N
N
N
It is of considerable interest
to note that the two birds starred (*) in
part I of the table were recovered .in the Oakland-Berkeley area at dates well
within the breeding season and when the population of wintering birds had been
gone a month or more, demonstrating, together with part II of the table, that
both local and long-distance migrants use this roost.
Mr. C. V. Duff, Business Manager of the Cooper Society, writes enthusiastically
of the up-coming annual meeting, 11 ••••
The meeting will be held in
Los Angeles May 5 to May8 in honor of the delegates from many countries who
will be here at that time to embark for Japan and the meeting of the International Committee for Bird Protection.
Here are the present plans:
Thursday afternoon, May 5th, we have been invited
estate in Bel-Air to see the wonderful collection
maintains.
to Ray Thomas' beautiful
of c.aged birds that he
Thursday evening there will be a reception at the Los Angeles County
Museumput on by the MuseumAssociation for the opening of a 19th Century
Bird Art Exhibition.
This will include original Audubons, Goulds, and
others.
Refreshments will be served by the association.
Friday, May 6th, Scientific
sessions in the new Los Angeles County Museum
Auditorium.
Friday evening outstanding entertainment at the same place
for the guests.
Saturday evening,
outstanding film,
Banquet at the Hotel Statler;
in color, of Maurice Machris'
the movies will be an
expedition to India.
Sunday, May8th, a field trip to see the California Condors, and we will
practically
guarantee that we will see them as a result of the unusual
plans that have been made.
The following is a description of a method "Which I have found to be
satisfactory for raising mist nets to height beyond those normally used and
then lowering the nets to remove trapped birds without having to bunch the
nets in the process. The poles described are suitable for raising nets to
about 14 feet (height indicated is the uppermost strand of the net) and
heights up to about 20 feet may be reached by further extending the poles
through additional pole-sections.
The apparatus has the added advantage
that when additional height is not needed, the poles may be broken down into
their sections and the sections
used as individual poles in the
-SCREW
EYE IN DOWEL
usual manner.
In brief, each 14-foot pole
is equipped with an 8-foot carrier
bar which is rigged to slide up or
down the pole when pulled or
released by an attached cord. The
net is attached by means of clips
between these carrier bars and then
vertically stretched in the usual
manner. Each carrier bar is then
raised to the desired height and
the cord secured to prevent the
bar from sliding down tl:>.e
pole due
to its own weight. When it is
desired to lower the net, the cord
is released and the carrier bar and
net allowed to descend by their own
weight.
~u"l,U."£4'
"'-PLUMBERS
~ANO
I CtlRnUNC/./p
TAPE
The actual construction of
these poles and the carrier bars is
relatively simple as shown in the
accompanying diagram, but a few
points to bear in mind are:
1) Cost of the poles will vary
according to the choice of material
Figure 1. Klingenberg mist
used for the poles and to the desired
net elevator.
height of the poles. In my case,
aluminum tubing was chosen because of its light weight and resistance to rust.
The cost of my poles came to around seventeen dollars, but it should be possible
to materially reduce this cost by careful selection of building materials.
2) The means used to join the sections (if sections are to be used) should
prOVide a smooth fit without ridges which might catch the carrier loops and prevent them from sliding freely.
:3) While I used an aluminumbar for the carrier, I would suggest that
another piece of tubing be used instead due to the tendency of the bar to bow
under too much tension.
4) If wood dowels are used to join the pole-sections,
the diameter of the
dowel should be such that it just fits the inside diameter of the pole and that
the free end of the dowel slides easily into the next pole-section.
Also, since
excessive moisture will cause these dowels to swell and make it difficult
to
either join or take apart pole-sections
while the dowel is swollen, I would
strongly advise the use of some sort of water-proofing the dowel.
5) The loops which hold the bar to the pole may be made from the metal
stripping used by plumbers to support pipe by simply bending it into the
desired shape and size and then securing it to the bar by means of a bolt through
the bar.
1) Drive the support dowels or rods into the ground at the correct distance
for the length of the net.
(A great deal of guessing can be eliminated if a
piece of string is kept handy which is the correct length.)
2) Completely assemble the poles, carrier
cords while the apparatus is on the ground.
:3)
stretch
Attach the net by means of the clips
the net vertically
as usual.
bars,
pull
cords and support
between the carrier
bars,
then
4) Tie downthe support cords in such a manner that the poles are as
straight
as possible.
(If' the poles are bent too much, the carrier bars are prevented from sliding freely up and down the poles.)
5) Elevate each end of the net to the desired height and secure the pullcord to keep the carrier bar from sliding bE.ckdown.
I1Thef'all has been characte:tized by mild weather which does not contribute to
a high concentration of birds in the valley.
Even the Christmas count is belovT
last year, both in number and :variety.
starlings
are present, though they seem to move around quite a bit.
The
flock numbers.probably 2, 000 birds.
They mingle with a large flock of Brewers
Blackbirds which, I am.told, has broken some electric
wires due to their concentration on the long spans.
Hawksand owls are abundant,; the eXPansive be.an fields,
hay and seed fields are apparently rewarding to them.
Golden-crowned Sparrows have not been taken in the numbers I had hoped for.
Possibly with the establishment of a larger feeding station we may be able to
concentrate them more. Those that we did take have been color-banded as a part
of the project being conducted by the WBBA.Harvey Quinby did a good job on a
flock of goldfinches that he found feeding on crushed walnuts in his front yard.
I think he banded over 400 in about a month. 11
1/67 LYN8~OOK
WAY
SAN JOSE 29 CAUF.
WILLIAM K. KIRSHER
1167 LYNBROOK WAY
SAN JOSE. CALIF.
April 1960
NOTICE OF 1960 ANNUAL MEETING
The Annual Meeting of the Western Bird Banding Association will be held
May 14 and May 15 at the ranch of Mrs. William Hatton, 200 Calera Canyon
Road, Salinas, California.
The ranch is reached via Highway 101 to Salinas.
From Salinas take the Salinas-Monterey Highway for about 7~miles to Shell
Oil station on south side of road. Turn left onto Corral de Tierra Road.
At crossroads two miles distant continue on Calera Canyon Road 2 miles to
Hatton Ranch.
Members may arrive at the ranch anytime after 1;00 p.m. Saturday.
The
afternoon will be devoted to mist netting, getting acquainted, and informal
discussions.
A social hour with slides is being arranged for the evening.
(Bring yours!)
Accomodations consist of numerous camp sites and a few indoor situations
where sleeping bags can be used. A few miles distant are motels. Bring your
own food.
Sunday morning there will be a guided field trip of the area followed
by a business meeting, election of officers and reports. Aninteresting
program of papers is being arranged. Any members who can present a paper at
this time are hereby invited to do so. Just communicate the title and other
pertinent information to the secretary, Mrs. Enid Austin, 1116 Mandana
Boulevard, Oakland 10, Calif.
·All WBBA memoers and other banders are cordially invited to attend this
meeting which promises, from past experience, to be a thoroughly enjoyable
and profitable one.
1959 ANNUAL REPORT. • . . .
SUMMARY REPORT OF INDIVIDUAL
COMMENTARY ON ANNUAL REPORT,
REC OVERIES . . • • • . • . .
. . . . . ..
•••••.
BANDERS. ..
..•...
Dr. L. Richard Mewaldt..
.•••
. . . . . . . . . • . . . . • . •
13
22
19
27
Address correspondence for News from the Bird Banders to William K. Kirsher,
Editor, 1167 Lynbrook Way, San"J'O"S'€
29, Calir:--
An analysis of Bird-Banding reports for the year 1959
wi thin the area of the Western Bird-Banding Association
Emerson A. Stoner, Marjorie
Compiled by
Elmore, Enid K. Austin and L. RiclJard Mewaldt
Yukon
Bri t·Col: Wash.
Alberta
Orep;.
Alaska
=
Common Loon
Arctic Loon
Red-necked Grebe
Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Leach's Petrel
Ashy Petrel
Red-tailed Tropic-Bird
White Pelican
Brown Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Brandt's Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Frigate Bird
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
I Little Blue Heron
Common Egret
Snowy Egret
Black-crn. Night Heron
Least Bittern
American Bittern
White-faced Ibis
Whistling Swan
Trumpeter Swan
Canada Goose
Black Brant
White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Ross' Goose
Fulvous Tree Duck
Mallard
Mexican Duck
Black Duck
Gadwall
Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Blue-winged Teal
Cinnamon Teal
Blue-wgd.&/or Cinn.Teal
American Widp;eon
EurolJean WidJ>:eon
Shoveler
Wood Duck
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Canvasback
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Tufted Duck
Connnon Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Oldsquaw
Harlequin Duck
White-winged Scoter
I Surf Scoter
~uddy
Duck
I Hooded
Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
White-tailed Kite
Goshawk
Sha:tJ.l=shinnedHawk
i Cooper's
Hawk
1
I
1
I
1
.~
I
I
2
I
I
2 Ii
!
...L--
166
6
2
116
i·
!
.:-=::;t=
'1
I
I
i
1
,
I
-..:=-1
2 '
11
1
111
?
!
5
I
I
I
i
1
i
!
I
!
<;00
72
<;00 :
I
1
!
1
I
QO
1
I
-_.,.
-
I
!
<;
I
?
·1
1
I
50
I
,
,
,
,
i
I
I
I
I
I
I
11
i
'{
,
I
11
~
I
I
1
1
I
I
i
I
i
I
I
1
!
?
i
I
~
I
!
"
!
50
<;
I
i
I
00
1
I
!
1
1
I
i
721
I
I
,
i
1
L
I
,
JL.
i
I
Total
!
'
I
1
Hawaii,
Pacific
Tslands
Wyoming Arizona
'::010. New Mex. Mexico
,
.
8
Nevada
utah
Calif.
!
1
1
4
1'57
Idaho
Mont.
i
'{"""j
i
i
I
I
'{'I
I
!
1400
580
1<;<;4
1511
140
16~2
~42
I
2
12
1
1
I
i
i
19
'5059
1
,
14'10
1
~O'{ 1
165 1
20
1
1
76
2<;4<;
451
114
2
~H
1
600
458
4
7ho
en
46
100
1061
711
i
I
046
20
01
61
f\770
..l647
844
.L.t-4~1
1 1268
468
2
174
'{
258
80
'1165
8
1
1
5
13
'I
'lOCi
5
1 1069
I
,{79
I
80
""1
l
i3994
20
.·-
~O
I
151
14
12
1
79'5
6
17'5
6
254
'{80
4
1
1
I
I
1
1
I
i
I
i
I
i
,
!
:
!
I
!
2
139
9
2'l~ 1
16'r~:)
~:)<;,
~5
<;7~
~oo
4459 II
1
I
,
451
97
2147
25
579
10
1611
I
I
1
1
,
i
i
i
I
1
1
2
I
388
1047
7
..1~+t
,
i
!
I
1
:
7ll
11
1'{
I
i
I
96
78
I
1
~h.oo
'1'58
28
1
I
1
1
1
i
I
80
'{021
'1519
..l-
1
47
33 I
726L.j
1
I
I
i
i
~
1'1
i
25
I
1085
7
I
I
76
1
2
1
27
'{'{
i
77
2
100
48
I
4
'{
1
I
I
I
I
1
I
'l
.1
'{
1
1
1
·2'l
2
1 1
1
1
'l
26
Yukon
Bri t· Col: Wash.
Alaska Alberta
Orep;.
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
i Swainson' s Hawk
LB9ugh-legged Hawk
~~!,ruginous Hawk
Golden Eall:le
Bald Eagle
Marsh Hawk
Osprey
Prairie Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
Pigeon Hawk
S"parrowHawk
~:J.~_<:_Grouse
L...fu2-ruce
Grouse
I Ruffed Grouse
i Willow Ptarmill:an
: Rock ptarmill:an
Shar"p-tailed Grouse
~Grouse
Bobwhite
i Scaled Quail
I California Quail
Gambel's Quail
Mt. Quail
Ri~-necked Pheasant
Chukar
Grav Partridll:e
Sandhill Crane
Cla"P"PerRail
L.Y:l,.rginiaRail
I Sora
I CommonGallinule
American Coot
I Black Ovstercatcher
Semi"palmated Plover
SnowyPlover
I Killdeer
~erican
Golden Plover
Black-bellied
Plover
i Ruddy Turnstone
I Black Turnstone
CommonSnipe
I LOM-billed Curlew
~imbrel
Upland Plover
! Spotted Sandpiper
I Solitary Sandpiper
I Willet
L Greater Yellow-legs
~sser
Yellow-legs
~ectoral
Sandpiper
Baird's Sand"pi"per
fI;east Sandpiper
~nlin
~.Sho_~t-billed Dowitcher
~-billed
Dowitcher
Semipalmated Sand"pi"per
i Western Sandpiper
i Marbled Godwit
Sanderling
American Avocet
Black-necked Stilt
Red Phalarope
i Wilson's Phalaro"pe
Northern Phalaro"pe
Glaucous-wiMed Gull
Western Gull
- HerriM Gull
California Gull
! Ring-billed
Gull
I Mew(}ull
I Franklin
s Gull
lBonaparte1s Gull
f-Heermann's Gull
: Forster's
Tern
U::ommon
Tern
Idaho
Mont.
Calif.
':t7
2
!
Hawaii,
Nevada Wyoming
Arizona
Pacific
Utah
Colo.
NewMex. Mexico Islands
Total
40
1
7
I
4
1
42
i
14 .
I
7
I
!
l;
4
1~
1
1
~~
11
I
!
4
4'5
I
2
':t
I
1
7
I
I
1
167
1
I
6
8
1
1
116
11Q _
4
i
!
~
21
1
1'5
13
10
~4
1
241
167
1
I
:
I
!
I
t
.-
__
0'.
I
-L-
I
1
2
1
2
153
165
19
1
2
1
i
t
12
I
lQ
1
1
1
1
59
t
0-
59
1
1
I
I
I
I
1
177
2'50
4
2010
212
1
i
~
1
t
':t
~
2
14
6
12
~
I
2
~
1
1
7
1
1
7
1
4
2
2
1
'5
5
1
9
75
I
6
I
1
56
'5
5
15
~
12
12
92
1
5'
13
1
1
I
33
I
8
8
1
9
6
~
2
1
4
2650
6
4
3
62
12
3
7
7
10
131
20
5
15
12
92
1
5
13
2
'B
I
31
218
772
1
31
QQ'5
1
1
1
4
I
490
100
281
22
1
1702
108
23
2
1
3
577
8
353
I
I
I
I
I
1
.-
I
11
0
Alaska
Arctic Tern
Sooty Tern
Least Tern
Caspian Tern
Black Tern
Common Murre
Pigeon Guillemot
Cassin's Auklet
Rhinoceros Auklet
Band-tailed Pigeon
White-wiIUl:ed Dove
MourniIUl: Dove
Spotted Dove
RiIUl:edTurtle Dove
Ground Dove
Inca Dove
Yellow-billed
Cuckoo
Roadrunner
Barn Owl
Screech Owl
Horned Owl
Snowy Owl
Pygmy Owl
.
Elf. Owl
BurrowiIUl: Owl
toIUl:-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
Saw-whet Owl
Poor-will
Common Nip;hthawk
Lesser Nip;hthawk
Black Swift
Vaux 's Swift
White-throated
Swift
Lucifer HummiIUl:bird
Black-chnd.HummiIUl:bird
Costa's HummiIUl:bird
Anna's Hummimlbird
Broad-tailed HummiIUl:bird
Rufous HummiIUl:bird
Allen's HummiIUl:bird
Calli one HummiIUl:bird
Belted KiIUl:fisher
Yellow-shafted
Flicker
Red-shafted Flicker
Hvbrid Flicker
Gilded Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Gila Woodpecker
Acorn Woodpecker
Lewis' Woodpecker
Yellow-beld. Sapsucker
Williamson's
Sapsucker
Hairy Woodpecker
Downv Woodpecker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Nuttall's Woodpecker
White-headed Woodpecker
Eastern KiIUl:bird
Western Kingbird
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Traill's Flycatcher.
Hammond's Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Gray Flycatcher
Western Flycatcher
Empidonax sp. 1
Western Wood Pewee
Olive-sid. Flycatcher
Vermilion Flycatcher
Horned Lark
Violet-p;reen Swallow
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow
Roup:h-wiIUl:edSwallow
Yukon
Bri t·Col: Wash.
Alberta
Orep;.
Idaho
Mont.
Calif.
Nevada
utah
Wyoming Arizona
Colo.
New Mex. Mexico
Hawaii,
Pacific
Islands
Total
'':1
1~
"
'0
o~
"
10
0':1'
?
I
I
~
6
4
160
h.
~~
R
7?O
164
1?~'
~,;
~
12~O
1
~~
11102
n
1':1
--,-;
~
.,
0
':11
,
1
~':I
,1..
I
~
,
oR
?
1
U
Q
2
1
?
.,1
l.
-,:;
"l
~
11
1
~
2
A
l;
1
?
,
,
,
':I
-:a
,
1
':I
1
!:)
2
"
:,
':I
1
~
Ji
,
~
B
21
1h
1
<;
Ii
?
~
,
1
'iR
"
1':1
1
A
~
Q
.i
HI
~
1
1
/
?
2
':I
0':1
-.;
"
':1'5
35
4
1
1':1
1
1
4-
~
1
1
1
2
1
1':1
7
2_
1
14-
~
4
2
7
27
2
16
4
16
4
1
2Q
24-
1
~
~
U
~.
<;1
6
2Q
Q
4-
1
~
~1
1
!:i
'1
!i
~
10
1
.lI.
':I
17
6
4
,
':I
01
':I
':I
un
0
107
~
"I
,
~
1':10
':I
':I
14
118
~
~
42
l:lO
2
1
B
~
':t
.2
B6
2~
4.
1
~
n"
l.
.2
1
~
6~
~
1'7
7'>
-
2'5
Yukon
Bri t·Col: Wash,
Alberta
Oreg.
Alaska
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Purple Martin
Gray Jay
Blue Jay
Steller's Jay
Scrub Jay
Mexican Jay
Black-billed Magpie
Yellow-billed Magpie
Common Raven
Common' Crow
Pinon Jay
Clark's Nutcracker
Black-canned Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee
Che stnut -bkd .Chi ckadee,
Plain Titmouse
Verdin
Common Bushtit
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
PYf1Jl1.Y
Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Wrentit
Dinner
House Wren
Winter Wren
Bewick's Wren
Cactus Wren
Lo~-billed
Marsh Wren
Ce,nyon Wren
Rock Wren
Mockirurbird
Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Bendire's Thrasher
Curve-billed Thrasher
California Thrasher
Le Conte's Thrasher
Crissal Thrasher
SB.Il:e
Thrasher
Robin
Varied Thrush
Hermi t Thrust.
Swainson's Thrush
Veery
Western Bluebird
Mountain Bluebird
Townsend's Solitaire
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Blk.-tald.Gnatcatcher
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Water Pipit
Bohemian Waxwing
Cedar Waxwing
Phainopepla
Northern Shrike
Loggerhead Shrike
Starling
Hutton's Vireo
Bell's Vireo
i Soli tan
Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
WarbliIUl:Vireo
Tennessee Warbler
Or~e-crowned
Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Virginia's Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Myrtle Warbler
Audubon's Warbler
Blk. -thro ,Gray Warbler
~wnsend
's Warbler,
Idaho
Mont.
!)h
001
C;7
'0:
Calif.
!)
Nevada
utah
Hawaii,
Pacific
Islands
Wyoming Arizona
Colo.
New Mex, Mexico
!)C;7
74
456
An
187
~~
6i
10
12
1
4
10
105
153
1
11
:
Ii.
1
241
1
2~
12Q
<;
1
6
2
2
1
10
10
c;
C;1
41
~
0
~1
10
112
3
137
131
5
168
130
15
49
23
8
q
I;
7
5
12
144
12~
147
10
llKj
15
74
2
20
I
I
I
!
~
1
~
~
~
Ii
~
~I
21;1
I;
2
1
1
1
7~
18+-
,
2
1
4
1
2
7
I
'1T
8
27
11;
22
6
4
2
47
~
7
71
~
1
127
t:.
~
r.
,,,
I;
8
2
8
13'
,~
~
,h
~
!)
c;
l::
,11.
,It
,
,
I;
c;
a
~~
I __
,
,
1)("1
H>
1____
~
' ~f"I
'r.
~
,oh
r,~
00
-;k
i:.
,I,
~oa
,;,~
~
-,
,
'71:
711;
, c;i:\
h;h
,
?h~
~
I
'7A
A
,
'n
111>
,n
4
~I'I
It
,
,j!;
"f,
l::
?A
7
·hn
,
"
,
,
,
!)
j
--L__
~
",
~'7
,hA
,
.;"
,1:.
,
± ,;L-±;1---_.ll____
,1
~
J I
-.--
,
I
'c;
~l'
~
!)
;
I:.
~
71
I,,,
,QII;
""
l::~
,no
!)
~
I
1A
,
1:
hJ
l::~
'j:,
,
~
~
,?7
~?7
a
"
l::
"
;
,
I
;,.
~
~,n
'TI
,
!)
I
I
J.
<>1
'
I>
,
I.
!)
i
1
~
~
,
'Total
111\
c;
,~
1;11.
lo
0
1=
"
c;
c;
,!)~
oA
i:\o
'!)Q~
I
?, I
,c;
I
Yukon
Bri t·Col' Wash.
Alberta
Orep;.
Alaska
Hermi t Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
MacGillivray's
Warbler
Yellowthroat
Yellow-breasted
Chat
Wilson's Warbler
American Redstart
·House Sparrow
Bobolink
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-head.Blackbird
Redwinp:ed Blackbird
TricoLored Blackbird
Hooded Oriole
Scott's Oriole
Bullock's Oriole
Rusty Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bronzed Cowbird
Western Tanag'er
Cardinal
Pyrrhuloxia
Black-headed Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Dickcissel
Evening Grosbreak
PuI'l)leFinch
Cassin's Finch
HOuse Finch
Pine Grosbeak
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch
Black Rosy Finch
Hoarv Red'DOll
Common. Redpoll
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Lesser Goldfinch
Lawrence's Goldfinch
Red Crossbill
White-winged
Crossbill
Green-tailed Towhee
Rufous-sided Towhee
Brown Towhee
Abert's Towhee
Lark Bunting
Savannah Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Baird's Sparrow
Vesper' Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Rufous-winged
Sparrow
Rufous-crowned
Sparrow
Black-throated
Sparrow
Sage Sparrow
White-winp:ed Junco
Slate-colored
Junco
Orel/:onJunco
Gray-headed Junco
Tree Sparrow
Chippinp: Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Brewer's Sparrow
Black-chinned
Sparrow
Harris' Sparrow
White-crowned
Sparrow
Golden-crowned
Sparrow
White-throated
Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
SanP:'Sparrow
Lapland Longspur
Snow BuntinP:
Idaho
Mont.
Calif.
Nevada
utah
Hawaii,
Wyoming Arizona
Pacific
Colo.
New -Mex. Mexi co I slancls Total
6
6
2
-
!:I
!:I
~~
h
~
'k
''.1
7
ho::
A
'0<;
-!:I~
,
0
,
l)
h
!:I
oh
l)A
,
, Ii.
'0;
,
'.1<;
8Q
2~
ho
~m
"l"l
1
147
~
A'
.
-~,
.,
l)
h<;~
~f'I
''1
'i
,
3~
'.IA
71
'i4'i
'UQ
7
-;,
17
'.Iii
~,
<::.
ASl
~''.I
~
h.
,,,:;
, <::'
172
'.I
l)
442
4
h
'7
l)~
, <;,
,IJ
'76
'.I
l)l)
0
<::h.
206
,
hi)
1
15~
17
40
6
~
ll~
h
,~
4
V7
6
?A
7A
8
''7
-
,~
Ao
?A
,
"
,
.L
6
h.f.'7
<;6
''':;'1
,7Al)
,<;
'.IA0::
,
!:I<;
8
55
1
2.8
2":l0
117
2Q57
~
!:l7A
I,
4
--,-n
'":1
~
~o
'Ti
":I'
<;7.1
,.
.
,
,A
,
,~
i;
,h.
,h
":Ih.
~
'f'I
4.28
,
<::l)
4
1
":I
,
?
64
'i14
,
l)
h.
0
1504'i2.8
25
'7
'.:Y.l'
hl)'
<::0
, <;,
0
<;f'li
!:II
0::
~~
AA;
!:I
20
60~
l2'i
,
h
h
,A
15
24
1
12
4Q
167
6
-j
-
,
, !:I
hA
,67
"
7
,
<;<;0
, !:Ih.'7
,
he
,f,f,h
1
'7
,<;~
h
,
<::
6
A
,
":1":1'7
~o
101
,60"
0
2~
~
1
~
46
~
a
aA
6
,?A
,
~'.I
f.
!:I
<;~o
!)Q!:I~
,
!)'7
i;
,
,
4~
~
422
49
742
'~
8
21
1
8.
6616
~l6o
17
~'7<;
,
1
~~
-O~
'.Il.A
~TI
,
I
<;!:I
''7
4~
-'-._-- ---.--- ---..
17~
Q<lO
1
___
._-
-~J~i
00
<;
lli
1i;
!:I<;
,
6
Q
144~4
J_
-----1---
- ---
_n._
t~- ~j
SEIDOX lWmID SPJ:CIES lfO'.r IBCII1IIIm D P.RIVICXJS LIST
(*) = :First banding records within. WBBAterritory
Yukon
Bri t· Col' Wash.
Alaska Alberta
Orep;.
II-
'R ••• 11_
ItT •••••
T.•••
n••
+ -it.••.}...
Idaho
Mont.
Calif.
Hawaii,
Nevada Wyoming
Arizona
Pacific
utah
Colo.
NewMex. Mexico Tslands
?
11-
11~7
241
185
lAVA"''''
!If
lit
'Rol
;,•.•
1r_i"""+"'AAlb ••.•••.•
ss
:ter
W"'d••.••
_TA'lled
"",-Oft+-" Tal
'Btmin Ia~l
B1""-:fa""'d "Rnnbv
Brown Boobv
R"d-:f~t...n Boobv
01" va" ••nus I'!~~rant
I
-+----
4
511
47
31
141
I
I
-
1
1
!Hi
Pin+",'1 'Rv'hrid
xican ~brid
'Pi ••+.,,' 'R~rid
i* Spectacled :Bider
* a.•._" __ ls Eider
+-----
1
_.-
1
.2
6
* Gny
1
RaJdt
'* Harris' RaJdt
* ()vrf'••.
lcon
2
10
'*..T;'"••.",••
b
- _+.h1ah.,d Curlew
Tattler
Wi
-situ Sandni nar
* 'RJl,.-T.ai1ed Godwit
:rae"'er
* PR.1"Jlaitic Jae ••.••
r
T.nn",_+
.••i1ed
"'er
a••bin,,' a Gull
I
""",."
~,.;.:;r
*
I.
'Aivn1iI.
'Rol
••__
'Ro
.•••..••••
_.••"1' •••••
.iIiI
••A_h...d ••d
"
1
,
"1
I
,
';)
1
10
1
1
]0
i
1
~
,
';)
?
1
1
<
,
-,
<
I
1
1
?
u"a"+'
2
1
2
10
7
1
4
2
S1I8l.1ow
10
7
?iSh l'!1"nV
:Bridl..,d
*: 'R1,f'n••••_" ••.•1rPtl"Rnh"n
G1"JlV_
Th,.""h
Y",1'n,..
lhn••
*
-T.>ll"V'.
* 'Rol.;'1r_
Bl •••
Audubon i7;;;r M;;t1'" Warl: er
Ovenbird
ST.,...••'Ir_h
v__ .•.
,,_
•••
1
1
~
~
?7
-
T
~
1
1:
3,
l'
2'
~
1
.2
.2
,
••.•••••
1.
27
1
1r••i1(h:.l nl ••
v ••1"1 •• i1
Whi+.p_--"---"
'Ro
.•••.•.•.•••
_•.•••.•.•••••
A "D __
,
4
A ••;"".....
-
-'"
6
6
-9295
TOTAL
, "iA?<
A(,(Y.)
2,
I'
,
1
I
? i
] i
I
h6'iQ7
Q7C;7
-Who
1"C;47
I
i
7
?7(,7
I
2
i
i
I
c;
i
';)
/'!,...a+Ad1i'1vca+'l!h~Ir
Moo•• '""'V"
mwm
1
1
1:>0 •.•• """ ••
*
I
40
'i
l'!mv
*
5'
5
5!
1
5
40
1
n..,
Wi••d '.
I'
'5
*
-- n...l
* -* 1'1......... 1'1_.. n..,
Wh".•.•
_
",
* All ••••'a ,.-;;;;: 'A••i"",•••
*
2
1
2
.2
I
"' •• _
",••_ ••A
b
-ji
I
lInddv Tern
* .••".•..
* 'Rol•••.•
tr
2:
4!
11~7 I
241 i
185
41
511 !
47 J
31
141
1
1
1
5
1
.2 i
6!
1
2
10
1
1
.2
1.
'5
'i
'5
1
J,.••
*
*
*
*
i
'5
.C
*
Total
4Q
I
~
.2487 112844
!
,
--;
'I'O'I'AT.
~
'J71r
.COMMENTARY ON THE 1959 ANNUAL REPORT
by L. Richard Mewaldt
Active bird-banders reporting to the WBBA in western North America in 1959
numbered 167. This is nearly the same as the 169 in 1958 but substantially
lover than the 191 in 1957. The grand total of nearly 113,000 birds banded is
about 18,000 less than in 1958. This decrease maybe attributed chiefly to
fewer game birds banded in California and Alberta. The 373 species banded is,
however, a very substantial increase over the previous high of 307 species in
1958. Much of this increase of 66 species maybe credited to Don Bleitz who
banded 224 species in 1959 compared to his "modest" 174 species in WBBA
territory in 1958.
Those who make use ·ofthe tabulations will notice the consolidation of
the several geographical areas which comprise the territory covered by this
report. These combinations make it possible to place all bandings in one
continuous tabulation. ·This not only permits a better comprehension of
activities, but also makes more realistic the rather tremendous task of compiling the annual report. This is dramatized by Table 1 which shows trends
in banding activities in western North America.
It is perhaps significant to
note that State, Provincial, and National boundaries are political and that
birds are probably not politically conscious.
TABLE 1. .TRENDS IN BANDING ACTIVITIES IN WESTERN NORTH AMERICA AS REVEALED
BY DATA· REPORTED TO THE WBBA AT 5-YEAR INTERV AI.S, 1925-1959
Year
1925
1930
11935
1940
~1945
1950
1955
1959
Number
of
Banders
?
60
106
101
37
91
157
167
Species
Banded
117
124
176
245
164
202
251
373
Game*
Birds
Banded
Non-game
Birds
Banded
Total
Birds
Banded
500
4,000
17,000
15,500
3,000
32,000
70,000
69,000
8,000
12,500
22,500
25,000
9,000
32,000
39,900
44,000
8,500
16,500
39,500
40,500
12,000
64,500
106,000
113,000
Table 2 presents a summary of the numbers of species and numbers of
individuals banded in each of 1958 and 1959 by order. Table 3 presents a
summary of bandings by f'amily.in the order Passeriformes.
No new orders or
families were added in 1959. Approximately 61 percent of all birds banded were
game birds banded almost exclusively by professional game biologists.
Banding more than 1000 birds each in 1959 were eleven banders, not
includingSta,te, Provincial, or Federal projects.
The eleven includes: Bleitz,
2857; Kridler, 2356 (of a total of 5029); Collister, 2268; Gallup, 2080;
TABLE 2.
NUMBERS OF SPECrm AND OF INDIVIDUALS OF NORTH AMERICAN ORDERS OF BIRDS
REPORTED BANDED IN WBBA TERRJ:TORY IN 1958 and 1959
ORDER
Gaviiformes (Loons)
Podicipediformes (Grebes)
Proce11ariiformes (Albatrosses, Petrels)
Pelecaniformes (Pelicans, Cormorants)
Ciconiformes (Herons, Bitterns)
Anseriformes (Swans, Ducks and Geese)
Falconiformes (Yultures, Hawks)
Galliformes (Quail, Pheasant)
Gruiformes (Cranes, Rails)
Charadriiformes (Sandpipers, GUlls, "Terns)
Columbiformes (Pigeons, Doves)
Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Cuculifor.mes (Cuckoos, Roadrunner, Anis)
Strigiformes (Owls)
Caprimulgiformes (Goatsuckers)
Apodiformes (Swifts, HUII'lIIlingbirds)
Trogoniformes (Trogons)
Coraciiformes (Kingfishers)
Piciformes (Woodpeckers)
Passeriformes (PerchinG bi:rdy)
Number of Species
1958
1959
1
5
6
7
6
32
14
6
.5
42
6
o
3
6
5
10
6
30
20
9
5
53
.6
0
12
1012
2
8
1
10
147
5
13
0
1
12
176
309
374
o
Numbers of Individuals
1958
1959
5
1
~18
7,973
483
113
69,502
379
1,959
2,508
5,736
8,160
0
298
2,078
934
25
54,232
481
359
2,715
4,392
12,562
0
W
3
418
186
11
21
101
74
0
0
2
2
145
211
33,3!~() 34,266
Travises, 1701; Mewaldts, 1558; Linsdales, -1165; Stoner, 1120; Balch, 1097;
Elmores, 1030; and Feltes, 1025. Another eleven cooperators banded between 500
and 1000 birds including Hughes in British Columbia; Ransom and Kline in
Washington; Moos in Montana; Crenshaw, \:i.uinby,
and Payne in Oregon, and Reinelt,
~ Harry Smith, Felt, and Lakata in California. Those banding birds of more than
50 species in 1959 include Bleitz with 224; Collister, 94; Kridler, 78 (of 85);
Travises, 71; Mewaldts, 59; and Payne, 52.
A total of 479 species have been recorded banded in WBBA annual reports in
the past 36 years. Thirty-one new species added in 1959 are indicated in the
listing by an asterisk (*). Well over ·half of the new species were banded by
Don Bleitz in Mexico, Arizona, and Alaska. Others adding new species include
Hansen, Robbins, Holmes, Gallup, Mackay, and the Travises. Another 47 species
banded in 1959 had been banded in but 1 to 3 previous years. Birds conspicuous
by their absence from the 1959 listing (having been present in at least four
of the previous six years) were the Little Blue Heron, Whistling Swan, Ross'
Goose, BlackOystercatcher,
Gila Woodpecker, Yello~-b111ed Magpie, and Pinon
Jay.
21 (April 1960)
.TABLE3.
:NUMBERS
OF SPECIESANl)OFINDIVIDUAI.S
OF WESTERN
NORTH
AMERICAN
FAMILIES
OF PASSERINE
BIR:OOREPORTED
BANDED
IN WBBA
TERlUTO~Y
IN 1958 and 1959
FAMILY
1958
Cotingidae (Cotingas)
o
Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
12
Alaudidae (Larks)
1
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
6
Corvidae (Jays, Magpies, and Crows)
10
Paridae (Titmice, Verdins, and Bushtits)
7
Sittidae
(Nuthatches)
3
Certhiidae (Creepers)
1
ChaJ:naeidae(Wrentits)
1
Cinc1idae (Dippers)
1
TroglodYtidae (Wrens)
6
Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)
7
Turdidae (Thrushes, Solitaires,
andBJ.uebiltds)
8
Sylviidae (Gnatcatchers and Kinglets)
3
Prunellidae (Accentors)
o
Montacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)
1
BOlIlbycillidae (Waxwings)
1
ptilogons.tidae
(Silky Flycatchers)
1
Laniidae (Shrikes)
2
$turnidae (S,tarlings)
1
Vireonidae (Vireos)
4
parulidae (WoodWarblers)
,14
Ploee1dae (weaver Finches)
1
11
'Icteridae (Blackbirds, Orioles, etc.)
Thraupidae (Tanagers)
1
44
Fringillidae
(Finches, Sparrows, etc.)
-
1959
o
18
1958
1959
239
443
o
o
3
14
2,233
707
493
114
1,087
305
639
179
1
II
1
1
84
15
74
7
8
1148
165
1,512
166
1
7
10
8
3
10
3
o
2
2
I'
2
2
5
20
1
12
3
48
7
2
144
188
1,675
134
o
o
1
152
1
32
94
85
2
436
1
60
344
103
2,232
147
1,810
1,403
579
1,927
104
.22,980
24,076
33,340
34,266
156
Podic1pedif'ormes.
Hansen in Alaska topped his 147 Horned Grebes of' 1958
with 157 in 1959. The 111 Pied ...bi1led Grebes .banded by Moos in Montana is more
than twice the n~ber banded intheprev10us
35 years.
Proce1lariformes.
Chandler Robbins reports most of the 185 Wedge-tailed Shearwate;r:-s(23 preViously
banded) were caught by hand on MidwayandKure Islands.
His 511 Bonin Island
Petrels,
a first for the species, is more than double the total of all petrels
previously banded in 'WBBA
territory.
Am~eriformes. The 54,000 banded is more than 15,000 less than last year.
Greatest decreases were in Snow Geese (2340 to 1) and in P1ntails (18,614 to
8779) banded in California.
Especially interesting
are 309 Canvasbacks, 1069
Lesser Scaups, 388 Barrow· s Goldeneyes,and 1047 Buff1eheads banded by Hansen
in Alaska.
Falconif'ormes.
Numbers are generallY down except for some 42 Roughlegged Hawks, 10 Gyrfaleons , and 34 Peregrine Falcons also banded by Hansen.
Gruif'ormes. The 58 Sandhill Cranes .banded on the Bosque del Apache National
Wildlife Refuge well exceeds the 11 banded in the previous 35 years.
Charadriiformes.
Six of the very interesting
Jacana were banded in Mexico
by Bleitz.
,The 931 Caspian Terns banded .by Gallup (811) and the Sta11cups (120)
c,onstitute a new high for the species. Forty Noddy Terns were captured by
Robbins as they roosted on bushes along the beach on Kure Atoll. He also took
the two Bristle~thighedCurlews
and the first Wandering Tattler in 23 years
by hand at night on Kure Island. Columbiformes.
Interest in Mourning Doves
is eVidenced by the increaseto 11,102 banded in 1959. While the number banded
in California dropped from 4791 to 729, the total for Arizona and New Mexico
increased from 1310 to 8651, most of which (6591) were banded by personnel of
the Arizona Fish and Game Department.
Passeriformes.
The 108 Chestnut-backed Chickadees banded by Reinel t in
California accounts for the increase of more than 100 to an all-time high of
168. The 148 Pigmy" Nutnatches were accounted for chiefly by Felt (95),
Reinelt (34), and Harry Smith (14). A substantially increased high (424) in
Hermit Thrushes was due to Bleit,z (171), Kr,
'idler (50), Balch (25), Kinsey (23),
and 31 other banders. The 318 Bohemian Waxwings (of 327) banded by Collister
in Colorado were captured in four small automatic traps and one hand-operated
trap. 'Twenty-seven Crested Mynas banded by Mackay in Vancouver, British
Columbia suggest they are established and may be expected to expand their
range. Numbers of warblers banded are increasing each year with Bleitz,
Kridler, Feltes, and the Travises handling the largest numbers. It is odd to
note that the number of Hooded Orioles banded has dropped to less than 10 for
the first time since 1923.
In the large family Fringillidae, eight new highs were posted in 1959.
Gould surpassed his 33 Pyrrhuloxias of 1958 by banding 40 in 1959. The 1504
American Goldfinches represents a new high by almost 1000 birds.. Principal
banders were Quinby (452), Balch (344), Kridler (251), and Stoner (114).
Numbers of Oregon Juncos were down from 5693 in 1958 to 3787 in 1959 even
though 80 banders reported this species, both years. Banding more than 200
were the Linsdales (295), Crenshaw (278), Elmor~ (274), and Felt (218). The
742 Chipping Sparrows are more than ,double the previous high of 356 in 1938;
most banding was done by Collister (264), Travises (161), and Crenshaw (100).
In 1959 more White-crowned Sparrows were banded (6616) than any other passerine
and more banders (96) contributed to this total 'than to any other species.
Banding more than 200 were Mewaldt (734), Kridler (512), Feltes (359), Collister (350), Stoner (259), Balch (244), Travi ses (233), Edna Williams (2a9)
and Ransom (209). The 3160 Golden-crowned Sparrows were banded by a surprising
68 cooperators lead by the Linsdales with 622. Others with more than 100
include Harry Smith (262), Reinel t (189), as well as Kridler, Mewaldt, Elmore,
Balch, and Emily 8mi th.
SUMMARY REPORT OF INDIVIDUAL BANDERS
(If no state is named, California is understood)
Anderson, Anders H.
Argante, Mrs. A.J.
Ariz. Game & Fish
Armi tage, Jame s H.
Austin, Enid K.
3221 E. Kleindale Rd.
1728 Richmond St.
Ariz. State Bldg.
23122 Carlow Rd.
1116 Mandana Blvd.
Tucson, Ariz.
Sacramento 25
Phoenix, Ariz.
Torrance
Oakland 10
Sp.
2
1
8
7
1
23 (April 1960)
vi Balch, T. E.
P.O. Box 9
Glenn
1097
Bear Riv.Mig.BirdRef. P.O. Box 603
Brigham City, utah 1763
Berrey, C.R.
Box 220
Casper, Wyoming
14
Birchett, Mrs. J.T.
202 East 7th st.
Tempe, Arizona
86
Bleitz, Donald L.
2047 CastilianDr.
Hollywood28
2857
Bosque del Apache Ref. Box 1, San Antonio
New Mexico
890
Bowdoin N.W.L. Ref.
Box 1125
Malta, Montana
2721
Bradley, Mrs. D.M.
1848 Mathers Ave.
W. Vancouver,B.C. 314
Brown, JerramLo
M.V.Z.
Berkeley 4
43
Brubaker, Mrs. G.
191 Mt. View Ave.
San Jose 27
17
Calder, W.A., Jr.
Rt. 1,Box 595, Port Angeiles;.
Washington
256
Calif. F&G (F. Koslick) 722 Capital Ave.
Sacramento
9340
Carver, Mrs. Mona
Box 245
Glennville
4
Cady, W.G. .
3300 Calvert Road
Pasadena8
203
Channing, C.H.
Box 331, Clear Lake
Washington
243
Channing,E.C.
1445 Weller st.
San Francisco 17
1
Cogswell, H.L.
Box 9486, Mills College
Oakland 13
354
Collier, Gerald
Dept. of ZOol. U.C.
Los .n.&.'6
A~~eles24
78
tf' 0
q.(. o.b v Collister, Mrs. C.N .
706 Hover Rd.
Longmont, Colo.
2268
',.J'IJ ,~Crenshaw, Dr. F.
Route 1, Box 339
Hillsboro,Oregon 881
~~ CrOWley, L.D.
1212 Cascade
Boulder, Colo.
14
Crunden, C.W.
150 West Pine
Elko, Nevada
7
CunnilJgham,
J. D.
23280 M:> bile st.
Canoga Park
2
Curtis, Mrs. V.K.
2412 Cohasset Rd.
Chico
71
Davis, C.V.
Z&E Depts. MOnt.S. College Bozeman,Montana
13
DaVis, Dr. J.
Hastings Reservation
Carmel Valley
6
Diem, K. L.
Zool. Dept. U.W.
Laramie, Wyoming
281
DuBois, H.M.
Rt. 1, Box 370
Clackmas,Oregon
250
Duffield,Mrs. J. W .
1472 Eskridge Way
Olympia,Wash
32
Eddy, Garrett
4515 Ruffner St.
Seattle 99, Wash.
75
Elder, A.W.
354 S. Spring (.
Los Angeles 13
220
v Elmore, Mrs. MoM.
1022 Bille Rd.
Paradise
1030
Erickson, Miss M.M.
3505 Foothill Rd.
Santa Barbara
19
Evans, Mr. & Mrs. R.A. Klamath Trout Hatchery
Klamath Agency, Ore. 44
Evenden, F. G.
1336 Fitch Way
Sacramento25
191
-I Felt, Arthur C.
617 N. Newlin Ave.
Whittier
558
q.G~~~
Feltes, Charles H.
437 Myrtle AVe
Modesto
1025
'.;'"Fischer, Rudolph
215 E. Foothill Blvd.
La Verne
6
Foree, Dr. Lynn
6260 Castle Drive
Oakland 11
4
Fowle, J.T.
R.R. 2
Vernon, B.C., Can. 295
Galicz, George
13281 60th Ave.
N. Surrey, B.C. Can. 63
lJ""v~J>vGallup,
Fred N.
142 W. 6th Ave.
Escondido
2080
~/tI,
Gillespie, J&M
313 Sharp Ave.
Glenolden,Penn.
15
"Gould, Patrick
ZOol. Dept. Univ. Ariz.
Tucson, Ariz.
316
Gray, Alice G.
6645 Heartwood Dr.
Oakland 11
186
Griffin, Homer V.
Paonia
Colorado
35
Guild, Capt. EoR.
Box 548
Glenwood Springs,Col. 3
Hagan, Jack W.
1429 S. Flower St.
Santa Ana
58
Hagar, Donald C., Jr.
Ranger Station
Salyer
39
v Hansen, Henry A.(U.S.F.W.S.)P.O. Box 2021
Juneau, Alaska
6014
Harrington,R.F.
P.O. Box 278
Elk River, Idaho
38
Hatton, Mrs. L.M.
200 Calera Canhon Rd.
Salinas
93
Hawes, W.D.
P.O. Box 974
Lancaster
104
0
0
44
12
7
12
224
6
15
24
2
2
24
9
1
11
28
1
33
2
94
34
6
3
1
10
7
2
1
30
11
2
1
36
3
8
13
34
31
3
3
21
7
28
7(in Cal.)
36
14
3
3
7
5
28
14
9
3
Henderson,Mrs. R.N.
6000 SacramentoBlvd.
Hayes, Charles R.
Bldg. 45, D.F C.,
Henningsen,Mrs. L.K.
124 CambridgeWay,
Holmes, R.T.
8669 E. Duarte Rd.
VHughes, W.M.
8755 S.W. Marine Dr.
Idaho F&G Dept.
518 Front st.
Jameson, E.W., Jr.
Zeol. Dept. U.C.
v Jeffrey, R.G.
Rt. 1, Box 809
Johnson, Mr. K.F.
2504 Erie st.
Kaminsky, Muriel
1213 RobertsonWay
:o'\)Kebbe,
Chester E.
5414 N.E. Emerson st.
,).v Kinsey, Eric C.
17 SouthwoodAve.
~.
Killpack, Merlin L.
3525 WashingtonBlvd.
Kittredge, Joseph
2663 Tallant Rd.
Kirsher, WIn. K.
1167 Lynbrook Way
Klimes, R.M.
14940 Ossego St.
Kline, Mrs. L.H.
Rt. 1, Box 41
Klingenberg,Gerald F.
2338 N. Calif. st.
Kridler, Eugene (Sacto.Refuge) Rt. 1, Box 311
Kullrich, Mrs. W.
Rt. 3, Box 440 B
Lakata, G.D.
1025 Cedar St.
Lane, Kenneth
1349 Clermont St.
Larson, Gunnar J.
512 Balra Dr.
Legg, Ken
3431 Fort Ave.
Linsdale, J.M.&M.
Hastings Reservation
Low, J .B.
648 SummerwildAve.
Mack, W.E.
1140 Riebli Rd.
Mackay, Mrs. J.R.
4014 W. 37th Ave.
Malheur N.W. Ref.
Burns
Miller, Paul D.
Rt. 3, Box 190
McCarty, J.D., Jr.
1043 Stuart St.
McCaskie, R.G.
P.O. Box 241
McIntyre, Mrs. G
Colo. N.Mon., Fruita
Merilees, Wm. J.
1836 W. 62nd Ave.
Merovka, L.J.
P.O. Box 1306
Meyer, R.E.
Bldg. 45, D.F.C.
Mewaldt, Dr. L.R.
4150 Golf Dr.
Minidoka N.W. Ref.
Rt. 4, Rupert
Moos, L.M.
Box 1342
Muir, Mr. A.
4386 Ledger Ave.
\Nat'l Bison Range
Moiese
Neff, J .A.
Bldg. 45 D.F.C. Denver
N.M. G&F Dept. (Pickens)Box 2060
Oakland Park Depto(Covel)624 14th st.
Oregon S. Game Comm.
P.O. Box 4136
Orians, Gordon H.
Musm. Vert. Zoo.
Parratt, L.P.
500 W. 14th st.
Payne, D.E.
2232 Greenbrierst.
Peyton, SoE.
R.D. 2, Box 260
Phillips, Mrs. V
1010 Monte Dr.
Potter, H.G.
Rt. 1
Quinby, H.
2042 E. 17th Ave.
Ralph, C.L. & C.J.
1043 Merced st.
104
Sacramento24
Denver, Colo.
156
Piedmont
49
San Gabriel
157
Vancouver14, B.C. 616
Boise, Idaho
4504
Berkeley 4
50
Stanwood,Wash.
3423
Eureka
19
Sacramento18
70
Portland 18, Ore. 278
Ross
303
Ogden, utah
Santa Barbara
318
San Jose
36
Sherman Oaks
21
Blaine, Wash.
567
Stockton4
74
Willows
5029
Shelton,Wash.
205
Wasco
539
Denver, Colo.
93
138
El Cerrito
Eureka
309
1165
Carmel Valley
20
Logan, ytah
Santa Rosa
103
Vancouver 13, B.C. 376
Oregon
545
Molalla, Oregon
15
Lafayette
33
Tahoe City
386
Colorado
10
Vancouver 14, B.C. 410
Albuquerque,N .M. 107
Denver, Colo.
23
San Jose 27
1558
Idaho
224
Billings,Mont.
753
Burnaby 2, B.C.
438
Montana
285
108
Colorado
Santa Fe, N .M.
4491
Oakland 12
364
Portland 8, Ore.
5855
Berkeley 4
302
Upland
19
Springfield,Ore.
561
Fillmore
211
Santa Barbara
87
2
Colville,Wash.
Eugene, Oregon
737
Berkeley 7
229
Ransom, W. H.
Reinelt, Mrs. F.
Richardson, Carl
Richardson, Frank
Robbins, C.S.
Rogers, Thomas
Roest, A.L
Rogan, Mrs. F.E.
Romig, Mrs. A.
Ross, Miss R.
Ryder, R.A.
Ruby Lakes N.W.R.
Salton Sea N.W. Ref.
Saltzer, Helene B.
Sarles, J.G.
Schultz, Mrs. Z.M.
Schumacher, Mrs. D.M.
Sharpless, Evelyn M.
Silvernale, Max N.
Smith, Emily D.
Smith, H.R.
Smith, Mrs. O.H.
Stabler, R.M.
Staebler, A.E.
Stair, J.L. Atiz. G&F
Stallcup, L.L.&R.W.
Steel, Paul E.
Stillwater W.M. Area
Stock, A.D.
Stockton, Mrs. F.
Stokely, J.M.
Q-IIF .; Stoner, .E.A.
Storm, Dr. R.M.
Thompson, C.G.
Thompson, W.L.
Thomssen, Mrs. R.M.
Thorne, Dr. Oakleigh
.\~Turnbull, N.W. Ref.
,/1- ,; Travis, Mr.&Mrs. J.R.
~
Twining, W.E.
Utah F&G Comm.
Walsh, David
Washburn, Mrs. V.
Weston, Dr. H.G., Jr.
Williams, Roger
Winter, F.C.
Williams, Mrs. W.
Wilson, G.A.
Woody, J.B.
Woolfolk, E.J.
Wyo " G&F (Wrakestraw)
9676 Evergreen Dr.
344 Arroyo Seco
Trail
Zool. Dept. U.W.
1409 Brooklyn Br. Rd.
E. 10820 Maxwell
Cal. St. Poly. College
44108 Second St. E.
351 Alma Real Dr.
4157 W. 13th Ave.
Colo. S. Univ.
Ruby Valley
Calipatria
335 W. Lincoln Ave.
3883 Forest Ave.
22809 W. 53rd Ave.
7027 Sycamore Ave.
755 N. Robinson Rd.
19651 Glen Una Dr.
1549 Escalona Dr.
207 Alexander Ave.
Colo. College
Fresno State College
State Office Bldg.
6227 Buenaventura Ave.
Colombia N.W. Ref.
Box 592
100 S. 781 E.
Granite Station
45 Marinita Ave.
285 East L St.
637 N. 17th St.
587 Arlington
Wayne State Univ •
168 Loma Vista Dr.
1229 University Ave.
Box 268
4258 Fairway
Pinecrest Chalet
1596 W.N. Temple
B.LA. School
1013 Walnut Ave.
San Jose State College
1051 Overlook Rd.
904 N. Rexford Dr.
Granite Station
Patuxent W.R.C.
P.O. Box 481
392 Colorado Ct.
Box 378
Bellevue, Wash.
841
Santa Cruz
901
Oregon
115
Seattle 5, Wash.
29
Laurel, Md.
993
Spokane 62, Wash. 109
San Luis Obispo
2
Lancaster
225
Pacific Palisades
72
Vancouver, B.C.
120
Fort Collins, Colo. 13
Nevada
2200
Box 247
5429
Nampa, Idaho
134'
S. Burnaby, B.C.
60
Mt. Lake Terr.Wash 303
Seattle, Wash.
123
Pauma Valley
15
Topanga
1
Saratoga
202
Santa Cruz
680
Larkspur
158
Colo. Springs,Col. 105
Fresno 26
21
Phoenix, Ariz.
7781
Oakland 5
451
Othello, Wash.
60
Fallon, Nevada
582
St. George, Utah
132
Via Bakersfield
284
San Rafael
218
Benicia
1120
Corvallis, Ore.
118
Berkeley 7
385
Detroit 2, Mich.
161
Sonoma
83
Boulder, Colo.
183
Cheney, Wash.
303
Los Alamos, N.M. 1701
Pinecrest
3
Salt Lake City,Utah1999
Barrow, Alaska
96
Santa Cruz
140
San Jose 14
14
Berkeley 8
27
Beverly Hills
491
Via Bakersfield
472
Laurel, Md.
1494
Wells, Nevada
91
Lafayette
148
Cheyenne, Wyo.
140
(April 1960) 26
Wyo. G&F (Mueller, C.R.)P.O. Box 964
Wright, F.E.
P.O. Box 678
Zwickel, Fred
Rt. 4, Box 4113
Cheyenne, Wyo.
Reno, Nevada
Wenatachee, Wash.
1264
1169
172
Mr. C. G. Thompson, 587 Arlington Avenue, Berkeley 7, Calif., a longtime
bander, offers some longevity data:
"During the nineteen years that I have been banding birds I have been
interested in their longevity. Below is a table showing the number of birds with
their ages above four years. I do not expect any of these are world's records,
but perhaps some of the bird banders would like to compare them with their own.
II
SPECIES
Song Sparrow
Golden-Cr. Sparrow
Gambel Wh. -Cr. Sparrow
Ii
X
Nuttall ft
tiif
if
Pug. Snd.
()
Brown Towhee
Fox Sparrow
srtt
Mourning Dove
fL
,i).
,.f,'
HarvyQuinby,
goldfinches:
(
5
1
2
3
1
AGE IN YEARS
6
7
4
2
8.
2
9
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
2042 E. 17th Avenue, Eugene, Oregon, tells how he captured
"••• I feel quite proud of last year's 452 American Goldfinches.
These were
obtained by use of the very simple drop trap baited with about five pounds
of walnut meats (finely ground) under our walnut tree. It took only 8 days,
and then they were on their way. Out of all these birds only one foreign
retrap was obtained, this from Eugene Kridler, Sacramento Nat'l. Wildlife
Refuge in Willows, Cal. (See RECOVERIES. Ed •.)
Mrs. Laura Law Bailey, charter member of the WBBA, writes from Rockbridge
Alum Springs Biological Laboratory, R.F.D. 2, Goshen, Virginia, enclosing a
reprint of an article by the late Harold Michener on B~
Size Determination
(Bird Banding, Vol. XVIII, April 1947). Mr. Michener described and advocated
the use of a leg gauge much like the Bleitz gauge illustrated in the January News.
Recoveries, as we have mentioned before, are the real fruits of the bander's
labors, and we are always pleased when we can publish interesting recovery data.
This time among several significant recoveries we have two statistics--defying
cases of banders trapping other bander's birds at a considerable distance.
Dr. L. R. Mewaldt in San Jose trapped an immature WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
(pugetensis) on November 7, 1959 that had been banded 50 days earlier (Sept. 18)
by Mrs. Lucille Kline 600 miles almost due north at Blaine, Washington.
Near Willows, California on April 23, 1959.Eugene Kridler banded an
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH that travelled north some 400 miles to be retrapped by
another active bander, Harvy Quinby of Eugene, Oregon, the following October
15.
Probably the first recovery of a California banded STARLING, one of seven
banded during 1959 by Eugene Kridler, near Willows, California (on the
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge where multiple thousands use the acres of
cattails for their winter roost) was "caught in a trap" at Sangudo, Alberta,
Canada (70 miles NW of Edmonton), about 1100 miles north and east of the banding
site. The bird was banded January 24, 1959 and recovered the following June 25·
(For discussion of NE to SW migration and extension of range across the United
States see Condor (1953) Vol. 55 No. 2 p. 49-67 Distribution and Migration of
the European Starling in North America by Brina Kessel. Ed.) ----
---
----
.
- ---
----
Another Kridler-banded bird, a BROWN-HEADED COWBffiD banded on the Refuge
near WillOWS, California October 30, 1958, was "found dead" near Pine Lake,
Washington, about 650 miles due north, the following June 8.
The band only of a CALIFORNIA GULL banded June 17, 1957 on the Snake River
near Weiser, Idaho by the Idaho Fish and Game Department was found on the
Sutter National Wildlife Refuge during the week following November 23, 1958.
There was a lapse of a year before the band was turned in. The band was
recovered about 450 miles SW of the banding site.
Another belated report is of a ROBIN banded in Sacramento, California by
Mrs. A. J. Argante February 7, 1958, and "killed by a hawk" at Castlegar, B.C.,
Canada .about 800 miles Nand E 80 days later (April 28).
We are quite aware that graphic representation of banding recoveries can be
misleading.
For example, in the last News, as Eugene Kridler pointed out, the
lines connecting the White Pelican recoveries to the banding site tended to obscure a pattern roughly delineating the route of migration that these birds
apparently take across 'the Sierras and down the Central Valleys of California and
thence down the west coast of Mexico.
Nevertheless, with prudent interpretation, we believe there is value in the
graphic method, and rre would like to try it again, this time with robins. So to
this end we are asking our readers to send us all their recovery dates on robins.
We will plot the data on a Il1ap,and you ~ar..drai-!your 01·!!l. conclusions from whatever patterns might show up. Please respond to the editor by the first of June.
1/67 LYN81l00K WAY
SAN JOSE
29 CAUF:.
REPORT OF ANNUAL MEETING. • • • • • • • • •
A SURVEY OF THE CALIFORNIA GULL, by R. F. Oldaker •
NOTES FROM COLORADO • • •
NEWS FR<l1 THE BANDERS • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • •
AN EASY METHOD FOR PROVIDING A WATER SOURCE FOR BJRD TRAPS,
0
0
by Don Blei tz
•
•
•
. . . . . . . . .
•
•
•
•
•
It
•
•
•
0
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
"
•
•
•
•
•
•
0
•
•
•
•
•
WINTER WEIGHTS OF WHITE~CROWNED SPARRCMS, by Allister Muir. •
Address correspondence for News from the Bird Banders to
William K. Kirsher, Editor, 11~4mbrook
Way, San Jose 29, Calif.
The 35th annual meeting of the Western Bird-Banding Association was held
at the ranch of Mrs. Louise Hatton, Salinas, California, May 14 and 15, with
31 members and guests present. Saturday afternoon was taken up with mist
netting, informal discussions on traps and techniques and banding in general.
A social hour, with Mr. Otis Smith showing slides, provided the evening
program.
Sunday morning the business meeting was called to order at 10 o'clock.
The financial report of retiring Business Manager, Leland Stallcup, showed
income for the 12 months ending March 31, 1960 was $1,079.19, while disbursements for the same period were $1,046.18. There followed a discussion
as to the advisability of increasing membership dues. The questioJl1was
referred to the Council for further study.
29 (July 1960)
REPORT OF ANNUAL MEETING
(cont-inued)
The following slate of officers presented by the nominating
was elected by acclamation:
committee
Los Angeles, California
Willows, California
Mountlake Terrace, Wash.
Larkspur, California
San Jose, Calif ornia
Don Bleitz
Eugene Kridler
ZelIa Schultz
Anna Margaret Smith
William K. Kirsher
Business Manager
and Treasurer
These elected officers,
Executive Council.
together with the past presidents,
Mr. Leland Stallcup, retiring
who has served as secretary for 9
Mrs. Austin was appointed Chairman
Schultz was appointed Contributing
Williams
constitute
the
business manager, and Mrs. Enid Austin,
years, were thanked for their services.
of the Membership Committee; Mrs. ZelIa
Editor to the Ring, succeeding Laidlaw
0
Further Reports on Golden-crowned Sparrows
Mrs. otis H. Smith, Larkspur, Calif.
(illustrated),
A British-Columbian
Nest Scheme,
Harvey B. Quinby, Eugene, Oregon
Studying Chestnut-backed Chickadees with Color Bands (tape
recordings) Laidlaw Williams, Carmel, California
The Effect of Castration on Migratory Restlessness
Sparrows, Martin L. Morten, San Jose, Calif.
in Golden-crowned
One XhQ,usand Miles of White-crowned Sparrows at San Jose (illustrated),
11. Richard Mewaldt, San Jose, Calif.
Okinawan Bird Notes,
Mrs. D. E. Rosenquist,
Carmel, Calif.
A report on the Insecticides in Relation
George Lakata, Wasco, Calif.
to Toxic Effect on Birds,
A SURVEY OF THE CALIFORNIA GULL, CARRIED OUT IN 1959
The following summary of raywork on the California Gull_may be of
interest to the banders. All of these birds were observed in Vancouver,
British Columbia. All band readings were obtained by high-powered telescope,
and all have been confirmed by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
0
In order to give a clearer picture of the coastward migration of the
juvenile birds from their natal colonies, as well as the earliest known
arrival dates, I have listed them separately. Two juveniles were observed as
early as July 9, but these unfortuna:te1y were not banded. From that date on,
the number increased steadily until the peak was reached during the first
two weeks of October. The southward migration appeared to begin in the latter
half of October when there was a sudden and rapid decrease in the population.
No juvenile was observed after November 7, but a few adults remained in the
area until the end of November.
It is interesting to note that the l-year old biras may remain for a
long time in an area where food is abundant. Some of those banded in 1958
were sighted repeatedly over periods of many weeks.
626-45553
626-43712
555-689:L7
545-63561
545-37265
555-43548
545-64859
545-37126
555-68958
545-09280
556-33552
545-37196
556-33507
555-65859
555-65673
555-49073
555-49313
555-65667
555-43529
555-49431
Snake R., Weiser, Idaho
" Lake Refuge,
"
"
Chase
Kensal,
N. Dakota
No information from bander (Wyoming)
Arod Lake, Conrad, Montana
Bamforth Lake, Laramie, Wyoming
Chase Lake Refuge, Kensal, N. Dakota
Arod Lake, Teton County, Montana
Chase Lake Refuge, Kensal, N. Dakota
Freezeout Lake, Montana
Arod Lake, Conrad, Montana
"
"
"
"
Mono Lake, California
" "
" Lake,
Mono
"
""
California
Bamforth Lake, Laramie, Wyoming
June 30, 1959
June 30, 1959
June 20, 1959
June
July
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
July
June
28,
4,
20,
28,
20,
30,
28,
28,
28,
23,
23,
30,
30,
23,
4,
30,
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
July 23,
Aug. 5,
Aug. 19,
Aug. 20,
Aug. 25,
Aug. 26,
Aug. 26,
Sept. 9,
Sept.22,
Oct. 2,
Oct. 2,
Oct. 2,
Oct. _6,
Oct. 9,
Oct. 9,
Oct. 15,
Oct. 16,
Oct. 16,
Oct. 26,
Oct. 27,
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
1959
545-36560
525-02606
545-36602
606-29357
545-36587
606-29140
606-29202
505-27891
606-29299
606-29467
606-29050
545-86004
535-81674
545-36623
535-81672
545-86271
545-86094
545-86295
505-27661
525-83421
606-29440
515-14066
545-36549
525-03183
525-02509
545-36624
606-29453,
606-29133
505-27799
545-86314.
555-43295
Freezeout Lake, Teton County, Montana
Pelican Is., Lake Newell, Alberta
Yellowstone Park, Wyoming
June
July
June
July
June
July
July
tI
"
"
Molly Is., Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming
July
July
July
July
June
Last Mountain Lake, Penzance, Sask.
June
Free zeout Lake, Teton County, Montana
June
Last Mountain Lake, Penzance, Sask.
June
June
June
II
"
"
June
July
Arod Lake, Teton County, Montana
June
July
Pelican Is., Lake Newell, Alberta
July
Freezeout Lake, Teton County, Montana June
Redberry Lake, Hafford, Sask.
July
Pelican Iso, Lake Newell, Alberta
June
June
July
July
"
"
"
July
June
Bamfo:r:-thLake, Laramie, Wyoming
July
"
"
"
Mr. Wo Eo McKay
Dr. S. Houston
Idaho Fish and GameDept
Montana Fish and GameDept.
Mr Louis Moos
Dr. D. de L. Condon
Mr. K. L. Diem
Dr. and Mrs. Ro To Gammell
Mr. Fo Gallup
0
0
17,.1958
23 , 1957
18, 1958
19, 1958
17, 1958
19, 1958
19, 1958
5, 1957
19, 1958
19, 1958
19, 1958
17, 1958
23, 1958
18, 1958
23, 1958
17, 1958
17, 1958
17, 1958
5, 1957
27, 1956
19, 1958
2, 1956
17, 1958
23, 1955
23, 1957
18, 1958
19, 1958
19, 1958
5,1957
17, 1958
4, 1958
June ?, 1999
June. J,:1999
June lO, 1959
June 12, 1959
June 12, 1959
June 12, 1959
June 18, 1959
June 19, 1959
June 24, 1959
June 24, 1959
June 24, 1959
June 24, 1959
June 29, 1959
July 8, 1959
July 16, 1959
July 16, 1959
July 21, 1959
July 23, 1959
July 23, 1959
July 23, 1959
Aug, 6, 1959
Aug. 6, 1959
Aug. 7, 1959
Aug. 7, 1959
Aug. 14, 1959
Aug. 21, 1959
Oct. 9, 1959
Oct. 9, 1959
Oct. 15, 1959
Oct. 15, 1959
Oct. 29, 1959
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Idaho
Montana
Montana
Laramie, Wyoming
No Dakota
California
The birds listed under "Other Sightingsil
which, with one exception
(52,-t)3183), are immatures and sub-adults, have undoubtedly arrived in the
Vancouver area by following the coastline fram their southern wintering
grounds, said to be in California, Mexico, and on the Pacific Southwest
coast, and not by flying directly from the banding sites as the juveniles
did. The exact location of the starting point of each individual bird's
spring northward migration being unknown, it is impossible to chart its
movements.
Number 525-03183 was in adult plumage when obser~ed August 7, 1959,
and could conceivably have already carried out its nesting duties in Saskatchewan or elsewhere and then returned immediately to the coast as many of
them do. It would h'!!yahad plenty of time to do this as we have ~een that
some of the earlier nestlings are raised to flying age by about the end of
June.
Robert W. Stabler, biology instructor at Colorado College (Colorado
Sp~ings), is running a survey of blood parasites in connection with his
banding operations.
By snipping a tip of a toenail he secures a blood
sample, and now has over 1500 films which he is examining for parasites.
Larval worms, malarias and kindred organisms have shown up with pleasing
frequency.
Perhaps his most interesting record to date is that of a parasite discovered in the blood of a Sparrow Hawk (Falco sparverius).
This bird was
trapped near Denver by John Flavin, and banded by Mr. Stabler (553-30606),
filmed from the toe and released.
Subsequent study of the film revealed the
presence of what may prove to be a new species of bird malaria.
Hybridizing normally occurs but rarely among wild birds, and.would seem to
take place only or mostly along the border of- overlapping ranges, Where the
sex ratio of one or of both species may be upset (Dr. A. A. Allen). The Indigo
Bunting (Passerina cyanes) is regarded as a rare breeder in this Cirea, while
the Lazuli Bunting (Passerina smoena) is a common summer resident.
In 1959 Colorado Bird Notes reported the mating of a male Indigo-Bunting
with a female Lazuli Bunting at Red Rocks Park near Denver.
The nest was
located on July 5 and later contained two eggs which subsequently hatched.
Two or three male hybrid Indigo-Lazuli Buntings were also seen at Red Rocks.
They were dark blue above and white below, and lacked the cinnamon breast
band. Another male hybrid similarly marked was observed by a friend and
myself near Longmont, Colorado on May 20, 1959, and one in the same area on
May 10, 1960. A few days later two hybrid buntings were captured and banded in
the area.
The two banded birds differed from those seen earlier.
The blue of the
head and throat was somewhatdeeper than that of the Lazuli, and a few
scattering rust-colored feathers were noted on upper breast and sides.
Mixed
with them and with the white of breast, belly and under tail coverts were a
number of dark blue feathers.
These birds had no wing-bars.
Out of more than
90 Buntings banded in 1960, only these two were thus marked.
From Cleveland, Ohio, where he is working with the CJeveland Zoological Society,
RONALD
REUTHER
sends greetings.
Ron used to be an active bander in California,
and was one of the founders of the Northern Chapter, WBBA.
GORDON
C. ODLUM,
Race Rocks Light Station, Victoria, B. C., whose banding report
was not received in time for inclusion with the annual sUll1Illary
(April issue) has
added two more species, Black Oystercatcher (6) and Pigeon Guillemot (1),
bringing the 1959 species total to 375. He also banded 72 Glaucous-winged gulls.
CHARIES
H• .FELTES,437 Myrtle Avenue, Modesto, California,
his 30th year of banding.
this year celebrates
"I am especially interested in Cedar waxwings, having banded them by the
thousands manyyears ago. These birds furnished the best returns of any
variety I ever banded. Returns came in from as far south as San Bernardino,
thence north through California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Idaho,
and two from Alabamawithin 50 miles of the Atlantic coast
0
This spring we caught our first Cedar waxwings of the season on February
15th using pyracantha berries for bait.
WhenI ran out of pyracantha berries
I used Toyon berries and raisins.
I trapped birds intermittently
until
April 21st, the date on which I took the last one. We (my wife and I) banded
634 between these dates.
We are also interested in banding Texas nighthawks, although I've never
had a return on any that I have banded. I live in hope that some day one of
them will come through for: me. Wefind the nests in the dry gravelly stream
beds of western Stanislaus County, although they are also present all up and
downthe San Joaquin valley.
All birds banded are nestlings as we have not
developed any method by which we are able to trap adult birds.
It is a very
hot and fatiguing operation as these canyons produce sweltering heat during
the
the
the
two
the
nesting period of this
gravel in the hot sun,
shade of a small plant
weeks the leg is about
correct size band."
species. These birds lay their eggs right amongst
and when the young are hatched they move into
or bush. At about the age of one-and-a-half to
the size of that of the adult bird, and will retain
From FRED GALLUP, 142 W. Sixth Avenue, Escondido,
on varied activities:
California,
comes a report
"Did not do so good on the Barn owls--only banded 79. Also banded 5
Elegant terns, 811 Caspian terns, 929 California gulls and 8 Ring-billed gulls.
Received several recoveries on the California gulls. The serial numbers were
read with a telescope by Mr. R. F. Oldaker of British Columbia, a new way of
reading numbers.
The gulls were banded June 23, 1959 at Mono Lake, California,
and observed by telescope in Vancouver, October 9.
Nearly all the recoveries on the Caspian terns are from Mexico down along
the west coast. They are reported as "sea gulls".
The most distant recovery
of a Barn owl has been from Ensenada, Baja California.
The owl was banded
4/3/55 and shot in February 1956. Most of the recoveries on the Caspian terns
and Barn owls were for birds of less than a year.t1
The unique distinction of having banded a California condor belongs to
Mrs. MONA CARVER, Granite Station, Bakersfield, California, who writes:
"A California condor was captured two miles northwest of Granite Station
on the Grisedale Ranch at a water hole on June 28. This bird was crippled,
and was caught by Deputy Sheriff Pete Waltman, Rod Shakelford, and Judge
Warren Stockton.
Judge and Mrs. Stockton, son John and fanily had located it
the day before and found it to be either crippled or sicko John shot two
rabbits and fed it. The bird seemed very hungry; the next day they contacted
the California Fish and Game Department in Bakersfield.
The men fed the Condor a rabbit and then walked up and threw a canvas
over it, It was caught very easily and didn't put up any fight.
I came along about the time they had the bird secured in the canvas for
the trip to Bakersfield to go to the veterinary.
I asked if I could band it
and they gave me permission to do so. I am sorry to say I didn't have a band
that would go around the leg and clamp se"curely. I used a No. 9 band, the
largest I had, but we had to loosen it so it would turn easily. We fixed the
edges of the bamd so they would not catch on anything, and even if they did
we figured a bird that powerful could pull the band off.
"This bird was an adult with a wingspread of about seven feet and an
estimated weight of 25 to 30 pounds.
It was very thin; it also had a terrible
odor. In Bakersfield it was found to have a dislocated leg. After the leg
was put in place the Condor was taken to Hart Memorial Park east of Bakersfield
and turned loose to leave Votheneirerit was able."
CLYDE CHANNING, Box 331, Clear Lake, Washington, representing the Pacific
International Chapter of the WBBA sends in some suggestions that came up
for discussion at the last PIC meeting:
1. Trapping in rainy weather c an be helped by covering small traps
(such as Potters) with a covering of clear plastic which will keep bait and
birds dry. The door opening not being covered gives plenty of air.
2. Bait wafers are very handyo When a bird is caught in a Potter trap
with grain bait it quickly kicks grain all over the place and makes it hard
to get birds to go back in trap as grain is now-scattered all around
This
can be ranedied by using bait wafers"
To p:repare these wafers cut pieces of
light metal into sections about two by three inches. SIlBar the metal
generously with "Elmer I s Glue" and then sprinkle generously with" scratch" ,
milo, or whatever bait is desired. When thoroughly dry knock off excess
materiaL
Birds come readily into traps for these wafers.
e
3. To construct a portable water dripper use an eight or ten-quart
galvanized pail, a brass petcock and three six-foot lengths of one-inch
dowel to make a suspending tripodo Pumch hole in bottom of pail, insert
petcock and solder into placeo Paint outside of pail. Place screw-eye in
top of each dowel and lace the three poles together.
Suspend the pail under
tripod so that water will drip into a shallow dish. Drip can be very
accurately controlled.
Water is one of the best sources of attraction for birds in our arid
western United States.
There are a number of suitable traps to be used in
conjunction with dripping water. I have had a preference for the Brenkle type,
of which I have designed and built several which are highly satisfactory.
The
most important part of trapping, of course, is in providing the proper bait-in this case, water. Water attracts very rapidly where it is dripping slowly
or drizzling audibly. All birds, and particularly Warblers, quickly discover
the source of the water when the dripping or drizzling noise is readily audible.
One of the best methods I know for providing a convenient source of
drizzling or dripping water is to us e lengths of copper tubing to conduct
the water to the trap. If the distance is not too great (up to 200 feet or
so from a possible water source) liB-inch outside diameter copper tubing is
perfectly satisfactory, and this may be purchased in hundred-foot rolls from
plumbing supply houses.
It is very easy when you provide a source to this
copper tubing by either of the following two methods which I will describe
briefly.
1. Use a standard copper tubing petcock, such as catalog number 351
needle valve petcock for compression type fittings, available from most
plumbing supply houses. By using a siz.e 5/16-inch drill and a tap for
liB-inch pipe thread, it is easy to temporarily turn off the water supply,
drill a hole into the water pipe, tap the hole and screw in a small petcock
The water supply may then be turned on again and the pet cock turned off
while the connections are made using the copper tubing. This same petcock
may be used with 1/4-inch copper tubing as well where water pressure is low
or the distance to be run is greater. This little pet cock can easily be
adjusted to provide the exact amount of water flow desired and can be buried
in the ground to be out of the way between the source of the water and the
trap area.
2. Another simple way is to pre-drill and tap some short nipples in
both ~-inch and 3/4~inch pipe sizes with these little petcocks already in
place by carrying art extra coupling.
It is very simple to unscrew a garden
faucet, add the nipple to the line and the coupling, and then replace the
faucet ahead of this combination which very quickly allows you to tap into the
water supply. By conducting the copper tubing to a convenient clump of
vegetation, where the trap may be placed III the shade and cover provided for
the birds, it is possible to trap many species of birds which are seldom seen
in the area; for the dripping water draws them like a magneto
In preparing copy for the April issue of the News our typewriter slipped
a cog and spoiled Mr. C. G. Thompson's table of longevity.
Here it is
reproduced correctly:
Song sparrow
Golden-crowned sparrow
White-cr. sparrow (gambel)
(nut tall)
II
lpuget. )
Brown towhee
Fox sparrow
Mourning dove
"
"
"
yrs.
1
6
yrs.
4
2
3
4
1
2
3
1
1
1
2
1
1
AGE
7yrs.
1
1
yrs.
2
2
yrs.
1
.
1
1
Scro: NOTES ON THE WINTER WEIGHT OF THE WHITE-CROWNED SPARRCM
IN SOUTHWEST BRITISH COLUMBIA
by Allister Muir
During the period October 1959 to March 1960 a flock of about
20 White-crowned Sparrows (ZONOTRICHIA IEUCOPHRYS) wintered in the area
of my feed station in central Burnaby. Seventeen of these birds were
trapped 24 times during the study period, an average of four being taken
or retaken each month. The flock consisted of birds of the year.
A drop trap, two Channing-type potter traps and mist nets were used
to catch the birds for banding and weighing. Most of the trapping was done
in the early morning.
Food used to attract the flock consisted of peanut heart, bread and
other household wasteo
U)
?
29
«
et. 28
l!)
z 27
l:r:.
~
26
..
I.LJ
?' 25
In a letter from Mr. Allen J. Duvall, Chief, Section Population and
Distribution Studies at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, WBBA banders
are invited to participate in a study of different band legends. Mr. Duvall
says:
"The objective is to test the band reporting rate of the currently
used banding address with a different legend having no indication
of a Federal agency. Thus the controls will use our regular size
2 and size 3 bands, and the experimental bands with the legend
write Po 0 Box ,66, Bowie, Md., U.S.A.
0
The three species to be banded with these special issued control
and experimental bands will be the Red-winged Blackbird, the
Bvonzed and Purple Grackle and the Starling.
Only flying (nonnestling) birds will be banded and each will be single banded
only. Thus, experimental bands will be used alternately with the
regular or control band. And both experimental and regular bands
in the test will be supplied direct by the Banding Office and
are only to be used on the species mentioned in the test. In
your notice to the banders it should be pointed out that we
desire only those banders to participate who believe they can
band at least 100 (50 experimental and 50 controls) of any one
of the three species, and that is hoped that the quotas can
be met by December 31, 1961. Banders, when they contact this
offioe, should indicate the species they hope to band and the
quantity of each."
We are informed that Mr. Geoffrey Gill, 24 Overlook Drive, Huntington,
Long Island, New York is offering for sale a good assortment of well-built
traps at reasonable prices. Write to Mr. Gill for descriptive literature and
prices.
1/67 LYN81l00K WAY
SAN JOSE 29 CAUF.
WU.Lh'lI It. It IRSHER
It~" LYNBROOK \lAY
SAlIIJO,SE. CALIF.
BAND READING BY TEIESCOPE, by R. F. Oldaker. • •
SEVEN YEARS OF BANDING GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULI..S,by
NOTES FROM COLORADO, by Mrs. Carl N. Collister.
ON BANDING HUMMINGBIRDS, by Don Bleitz • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • •
••
• • •
• • • • ••
• • • • • • • • • • • •
WIn. M. Hughes
39
42
46
48
Address correspondence concerning membership to T. E. Balch, Business
Manager, P. O. Box 9, Glenn, California.
Address correspondence for News from
the Bird Banders to William K. Kirsher, Editor, 1167 Lynbrook Way, San Jose 29,
California.
The telescope has been used successfully for many years by Mrs.
Zella M. Schultz, of Mountlake Terrace, Washington, as a means of reading the
band numbers of Glaucous-winged Gulls and studying the plumage sequences of birds
of known age as they advance towards maturity. Mr. Gerry van Tets, Dept. of
Zoology, U.B.C., had also used this method on Cormorants and Black Oystercatchers
on Mandarte Is., near Sidney, B. D., working in well-constructed blinds, and in
the summer of 1958, read the bands of over 100 birds. My own band-reading
activities did not begin until November 1958, a few months after my home-built
scope was first put into use.
The advantages of reading by telescope are obvious. Not only is
the band recorded 'Without any risk whatever of injury to its bearer,
but much factual information can be obtained about the bird1s migrations,
nesting habits, plumage sequence, molts and other phases of its life. It
is also quite feasible that a team of observers strategically placed
could compile complete life histories of some birds. Already many of the
bands read in Vancouver have been recovered elsewhere, one of them as far
away as Vallejo, California, 48 days after my sighting. Others were also
read by Mr. G. van Tets on Mandarte Is.
My telescope is 29 inches in overall length, has 81 nun. clear
objective aperture, and can be used, by changing eyepieces, at powers
ranging from 23 x to 55 x. Using the higher powers, a size 7 band can be
read at 200 feet if necessary, but only under ideal weather conditions,
and provided the band is clean and not too abraded. However, much useful
work could be done 'With a smaller instrument, perhaps of 60-65 nun. aperture and 25 x 30 x, 'With which it should be possible to read bands of size
5 or larger at distances up to at least 100 feet. Such an instrument
would, in fact, be preferable to a larger one in 'Windy weather, being less
susceptible to vibration. For working on the Gulls my choice of eyepieces
is the 35 x, which gives adequate light and magnification, as well as a
comfortable field of view. It is seldom necessary to use the higher
powers, and then only when a close approach is impossible, or when the
band is so abraded that a close-up is necessary to ensure accurate reading.
The purchaser of a telescope intended for band reading would do well
to make sure that the instrument he chooses can be brought into focus on
an object as close as 35 feet. This is most necessary as there are times
when the observer is unable to choose his distance, such as when working
on a rocky nesting island, around buildings, or in an enclosed area. To
speed up the work, and thus minimize the percentage of failures, the scope
should be equipped 'With a finder. A 6 x monocular fitted 'With a crosshair
or post reticule would be ideal. This may be permanently attached to the
telescope or, like my own, which is 7 x, simply strapped tightly into a
bracket on the main scope when needed. At other times it can be carried as
a pocket monocular.
It does not need to be a precision job, like a riflescope or astronomical finder. If it can be adjusted to bring the band into
the field of view of the main scope, that is all that is required.
The finder serves a double purpose. Firstly, it is used to scan the
birds for bands, and then, "When one is located, it is lined up 'With the
reticule, "Which brings it tnto the field of the main scope. If the distance
is suitable, it is then only necessary to focus the eyepiece, and a partial
reading is obtained in a matter of seconds, provided, of course, that the
joint of the band is not facing the observer. What further sightings 'Will
be necessary to complete the reading 'Will depend, among other things, on
the type of band the bird is wearing and what part of the number has been
read on the initial examination.
In any case, if the bird is resting
quietly, or preening, or studying its feet (all the GullS, and possibly
other birds, seem to be fascinated by their feet, and 'Will bend over to
study them intently for long periods) it is advisable to try an encircliBg
movement, if the terrain permits, taking a new reading at about every 90
of arc, or wherever a clear view of the band may be obtained.
In order
to record the digits in their correct sequence, their position in relation
to the joint of the band, or to the words of the inscription
"Avise,
write etc." should be noted.
Experienced bird watchers will know that a
maneuver of this sort, to be successful, must be carried out in slow
motion. The birds will react instantly to any sudden movement. On
bright days the telescope should be carried in such a way that the sun
will not flash on the lenses.
Also, when close to a bird, it is inadvisable to stare fixedly at it. This will certainly make it feel uneasy,
as no wild bird or animal enjoys such an experience.
Using the "walking
around" method, it is seldom necessary to make more than three examinations of the band. Twosightings from well-chosen angles will suffice
to read some of the older type bands. However, the circumstances are
different
in every case. The bird may be standing in a rut or
depression where the band can be seen from only one diredtion.
Rocks,
debris, vegetation or other birds may obstruct the desired view. If' a
sui table position cannot be found to complete the reading then the bird
must be made to move. If it sits downit must be brought to its feet
again.
With care both these things can be done by walking quietly
towards it, or, as I have often done, by driving another bird in its
direction.
If the bird is restless,
or feeding, or otherwise engaged, it is
better to remain at the telescope and let the bird do the moving. In
this case the bird must be kept in the field of view and sharply in focus
at all times.
Using a high-powered telescope at close quarters, a change
in distance of as little
as 6 inches will necessitate a change of focus.
The greater the distance, the less adjustment is needed. The band, of
course, cannot be read while the bird is walking, but each time it pauses
to examine or eat something, and turns this way and that, a few more
digi ts are revealed, and sooner or later a complete and accurate reading
may be obtained.
This is facilitated
if the band is free to rotate, as
we believe it should be. Sometimes a cooperative bird will rotate its
band by scratching its head. with the banded foot.
The success or failure
of such an attempt, and the time taken to complete the reading naturally
depend on the nature of the surroundings.
On rough ground, or on the
beaches, such attempts can tax the observer's patience to the limit and
frequently end in failure.
On the other hand, on smooth ground, a complete
reading can be obtained in a surprisingly short time.
I recently read the
band of a restless
juvenile Ringbilled Gull within 20 seconds of discovery,
without having to move the telescope.
There are many pitfalls
against which the band reader must be
constantly on guard, and the worst of these is the occasional presence of
foreign matter on the band, such as mud, fuel oil, paint, cement, etc.
In winter snow and ice may adhere to the cold metal.
California Gulls have
been found withbarnacles
on their bands. If this foreign matter is not
recognized at once, the results can be disastrous.
The moral is, if any
digit does not appear clear and distinct,
or if there is any doubt whatever
about its accuracy, the reading should be discarded.
There is no room for
guesswork in this project, and misinformation supplied to the Banding
Office, and to the bander, is worse than no information at all.
It is
better to wait and hope for a more favorable opportunity.
Few observers will find themselves as fortunately situated as I
for reading bands. Here in Vancouver we are literally surrounded by
Gulls of many species, as well as Cormorants and other sea birds. The
City Dump can be relied upon to yield a few readings at any time of
the year. The foreman, Mr. D. Chalmers, has kindly given me a permit
to wander at will over the area and it is there that most of my bandhunting is done. In unsettled weather, there are the public parks and
playgrounds, beaches, canneries and fish docks within easy walking
distance, where shelter for myself and my equipment can quickly be
found in case of rain.
Whatever the field conditions, the bandreader will find that
frustration is his constant companion.
He will suffer many disappointments, and may feel at times that the fruits of his labors do not
compensate for the time and energy expended.
Rather than fret over
his failures he should congratulate himself on his successes.
The bird
that escapes the telescope is not necessarily lost forever. Should it
be a Gull, the chances of encountering it again are excellent.
The
prerequisite is patience.
The observer who has his share of this, as
well as the time, the telescope and the birds, is bound to succeed, and
may look forward to many exciting and unexpected experiences in the
pursuit of his useful and fascinating hobby.
In conclusion, I would like to point out to the banders how it
will be to their ultimate advantage to see tbat their bands are properly
oriented on the birds' legs. So many of the bands I have found are
upside down band is not easy to read in any case and many records have
been lost for no other reason than this. In suggesting this, I am
looking ahead rather than thinking of myself and my own efforts.
The
army of bird-watchers increases yearly and at the same time good telescopes are being 'made available to the public at prices that put them
within the reach of the average wage-earner.
We must look forward to
the fast-approaching time when the telescope will come into universal
use as a means of s·olving some of the mysteries of the lives and habits
of our bird friends, many of whom will still be wearing the bands that
are being applied today.
SEVEN YEARS OF BANDING GIAUCOUS-WINGED
GULLS (LARUS GLAUSCENS)
It was eleven years ago when'I first banded gulls. The following
are some of the results of this banding. Most of the banding was done
on one small island, Christie Island, co-ordinates 49-25 North, 123-30
West.
Christie Island is only three acres in area and about half of
the three acres is bare rock. The central area is covered with coarse
grass, some rose bushes and low bushes. Nests are found on all parts
of the island, but the. bare rocky parts contain more nests than the
grassy and brush areas.
Banding was done on this island for the years
1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1959, and 1960. Banding was done
on Snake Island and Five Fingers Island, co-ordinates 49-13 North,
123-53 West, as well as Christie Island for the year of 1959. No banding
was done for the years 1951, 1955, and 1957, due to bad weather on the
days I was free to band.
In 1958 I banded no gulls as I instructed
local banders in gull banding. . Gulls banded this year, 1960, are not
included as no returns have come in as yet.
All banding was done in
the month of July.
Earliest
date of banding was July 15th, latest
date July 26th.
The best dates in this area are July 19th or 20th.
By July 28th the young gulls are larger and are more likely to run.
The young from each nest become separated, leave their territories
and
are subject to severe picking by adult gulls other than their parents.
During this seven year period 3,880 gulls were banded.
From this
banding 188 returns were received.
Percentage of returns'received
from
all birds banded was 5.8%. Analysis of these 188 returns shows the
following:
7
1
2
1
71
had been shot
killed by a Goshawk
died in fire on island where banded
found floating
in oil tank
just reported found dead
Thirteen bands read by birds being caught by hand and birds released.
Band read while sitting
on window ledge and by binoculars;
77 read by
telescope;
8 birds were caught, bands read and removed and birds
released;
8 bands only found.
Twobands found on island where banded,
one of these in a crow1s nest; 6 in different
parts of Vancouver.
Ages of eighty-two
birds
found dead
Under one year old
One year old, less than two years
Twoyears old, less than three years
Three years old, less than four years
Four years old, less than five years
Nine years old, less than ten years
Percentage of returns received
Some of these eighty-two birds
next age group.
50
16
9
4
2
1
for all gulls banded and found dead 2.4%.
were within a few weeks of being in the
It is interesting
to note the mortality of the birds under, one year,
a little
better than 60% of all birds found dead. From this it
would seem that if the birds survive their first
year, their chances
of reaching maturity are fairly good. In the following table are
included the thirteen
birds whose bands were read by various ways,
plus the seventy-seven read by telescope:
Birds under one year old
Twoyears old, less than three years
Three years old, less than four years
Four years old, less than five years
Five years old, less than six years
Six years old, less than seven years
Seven years old, less than eight years
Eight years old, less than nine ye ars
Nine years old, less than ten years
Ten years old, less than eleven years
Percentage
+ %
of returns
fo! all
gulls
29
5
7
10
11
8
9
5
3
2
1
banded whose bands had been read
2.5
Under one year old
Fifteen
returns
were received
Washington State
Oregon
California
Total
12
1
2
15"
from outside
of British
Point Roberts
Tacoma
Seattle
Shelton
Port Townsend
Sequim
Bay City
Colusa
Treasure Island,
San Francisco
6
2
Columbia
1
1
6
2
1
1
1
1
1
15"
It would seem by the above table that birds 1ll1dertwo years old move or
wander greater distances than other age groups. I have no British
Columbia records to equal distance traveled of fourteen of the above
returns. However, with only fourteen returns there is not enough evidence
to be certain of this.
This movement, based on the number of returns received, proves to be
quite local. Of the 173 returns received for B. C., 141 are from the
Greater Vancouver area, which is about 18 miles from Christie Island
and 24 miles from Snake and Five Fingers Islands. The farthest B. C.
returns are Jervis Inlet about 88 miles north and west of point of
banding on Christie Island. The remaining 32 range from points of
banding up to the maximum of 88 miles.
There were 184 birds banded on Snake and Five Fingers Islands
July 26th, 1959. There have been 16 returns received for these 184 birds
or about 8.7%. Five of these returns are from Nanaimo, Vancouver Island.
All were f01ll1ddead. The remaining eleven are from Vancouver and band
numbers read by telescope. All 16 birds were 1ll1derone year old.
For many years I was concerned that returns showed so few adult
birds. As yet I am not sure when glaucous-winged gulls reach maturity.
By maturity I mean breeding age, not necessarily plumage.
It may be
three or even four years. Mrs. Zella M. Schultz of Montlake Terrace,
Washington, is working on this and will likely have the answer soon.
However, if we take three years as the age of maturity and look at the
mortality returns for this area there are 7 out of 88 that would fall in
the age group as mature, just about 7.9%, a very small number. When we
look at the returns for the 90 birds that had their band numbers read
we find 49 -:tnat could be classed as mature or a little better than 54%
of all birds whose band numbers have been read.
It would seem by the small number of returns I have received that
if the birds survive their third year there is a good chance some of
them will live for quite a few years longer. Just how long a gull lives
in this area I do not know, as my banding records are only eleven years
old. It requires more years of banding and more returns.
Of the 188 gulls for which returns were received three are reported
more than once. These extra returns are not included in this report so
far. Band No. 48-728598 was placed on the gull July 21, 1952. Four
returns were received; three of these were by different people and were
read as the gull sat on window ledge of Sylvia Court Hotel, Vancouver.
First reading was February 10, 1953; second, February 11, 1953; third,
December 18, 1953. A fourth return of this bird was received for
February 10, 1960; this was read by telescope by Mr. Olaker at Stanley
Park a few blocks from where the previous readings were made. Band
No. 527-28099 was placed on a bird July 19, 1954, and was read by
Mrs. Zella Schultz at Green Lake, Seattle, Washington, November 27, 1955
and February 18, 1956. The third bird will be dealt with in gullts
returning to island to breed. For many years I wondered if gulls banded
on the island as y01lllgreturned to breed. While banded adults had been
seen on the island at nesting time, it was never possible to capture
the birds or read the band numbers.
It was not 1llltilJ1llle21, 1959, that Mr. Oldaker was landed on
Christie Island that my .first proo.f that a bird banded as y01lllgreturned
to breed. He read Band No. 48-727701 on an adult glaucous-winged gull
that was hatching eggs. This band was placed on the bird 'by me on
July 15, 1950. This bird was eight years, eleven months, and twenty.four days old on date band was read. On J1llle19, 1960, he read the same
band number again and the bird was nesting within a .few .feet o.f where it
had nested the previous year. This bird was nine years,eieven
months,
and twenty-six days old on date o.f second reading.
On July 17, 1960,
Mr. Oldaker read three more o.fmy banded gulls attending y01lllgon
Christie Island. As no returns have been received to con.firm his
.findings, I am not able to give ages, etc. There are likely more banded
gulls on this island but it is very rough, often windy, which makes
banding reading di.fficult.
My oldest record of a banded gull was taken by Mr. Oldaker at the
Vancouver City Dump on April 7, 1960. The band was No. 48-730418, which
was placed on this bird July 15, 1949, my .first gull-banding year. This
bird was ten years, eight months, and twenty-three days old when band
was read.
Great credit must be given to Mr. Frank Oldaker of 436 East
Hastings Street, Vancouver, B. C., .for his splendid work done on reading
band numbers with his telescope.
If it had not been for him my seven
years o.f banding would not have shown much results.
O.f the 188 returns
received .from all sources, 77 were read by Mr. Oldaker. This is nearly
41% o.f all returns received. Furthermore, all o.f his readings are on
live bird~, and there is a very good chance we will learn much more o.f
these birds by .further re-readings o.f their bands.
For the second year several banding stations along the eastern slope
o.f the Rockies took part in the coordinated netting project known as
"Operation Recovery".
The name, abbreviated to OR, stemmed from the
original idea o.f recovering .fall migrants banded at stations to the
north.
Though .few birds were recaptured it was .fo1llld
that the project
yielded other valuable data, including the e.ffects o.f weather changes on
migration.
It was discovered that daily arrivals and departures of large
numbers of individual birds at many stations could be compared
quantitively with specific weather conditions.
Preliminary analysis
of OR records has shown that greatest migratory activity takes place
one or two days after passage of a cold front. Since birds react
to many diverse factors there is need for much further information,
which it is hoped may be obtained through OR.
The 1960 program included participants at Atlantic Coastal
stations, Bermuda and West Indies, Appalachian Mountains and Gulf
Coast, Ontario and Great Lakes States, as well as the Rocky Mountain
States of New Mexico and Colorado. Dates of this year's program were
September 3 through October 2, with continuous operation of stations
urged for at least two weeks of that period. A coordinator was named
for each region, inclUding Dr. Howard E. Wilson of Denver for the
Rocky Mountain States.
Since use of nets is comparative~
new in this area, only three
stations participated in OR - the Los Alamos, New Mexico station of
Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Travis; that of Mrs. Berene Sullivan hear Boulder,
Colorado; and my station near Longmont, Colorado, where I was ably
assisted by Dr. Wilson.
A brief description of the Longmont station
and summary of OR netting follows.
Lykin's Gulch, seven miles west of Longmont, was chosen as the
site for OR netting.
This ravine adjacent to the foothills, the only
one in the immediate farmland area, supports a dense growth of native
hawthorn, chokecherry, currant, plum, poison oak, and a few low
willows and narrow-leafed cottonwoods.
A small spring-fed stream,
dense cover and abundant wild fruit, as well as a plentiful supply of
weed seeds attract birds of many species throughout the year and
especially during migration.
Since hours of operation were limited by available time only the
morning hours were devoted to netting, usual~ from about sunrise to
10 or 11 o'clock. From one to six nets were operated on 29 days for
an average of 4! hours per day, for a total of 534 net hours. During
this period 1107 individual birds of 42 species were banded. Principal
species:
Chipping Sparrows, 564; White-crowned Sparrows (Including
Gambel's), 294; Lazuli Buntings, 40; Orange-crowned Warblers, 30.
There was one station return, a Virginia's Warbler (31-32072) banded
October 1, 1959, and 80 repeats.
There were no rarities, though a
Scrub Jay was out of its normal range and Sharp-shinned and Cooper's
~awks were of more than casual interest.
Data obtained included age and sex when determinable, length of
wing chord and fat class as indicated by subcutaneous deposits.
Time
of removal from net was also recorded for each bird. Complete reports
will be filed with the Bird Banding office at Laurel, Maryland.
Over a period of time OR promises to be a rich source of information
which, through expert analysis, will greatly augment present knowledge
of migration habits.
It seems probable that interest may well spread
to other sections of the country as the potentialities of OR are
recognized.
Participation in OR lends purpose and meaning to the work
of individual banders, and gives them an opportunity to contribute in
a small way to a valuable scientific undertaking
0
During the spring and summer of this year ~ I captured and banded a
number of hummingbirds, mainly Annas, Costas, Black Chins and AlIens. A
few of these were kept in captivity for some months to study the effect,
if any, of the bands.
Since the closed foot of many species of the trochilidae is little
larger than the' tarsus, some persons had felt that the sizes recommended
in the little check list which I had prepared were a trifle large.
Accordingly, I experimented with several internal diameters of the little
Xa and Xb bands on these captive birds. The recommended size for Annas
hummer is 0.06011 inside diameter.
I tried 0.050, 0.055, 0.060, and 0.065
on this species.
0.050 was definitely too tight and would not close
properly and still revolve freely on the tarsus. 0.055 would close and
revolve freely, but within two weeks the band had caused an irritation of
the tarsus with a resultant swelling so the band was removed. Within a
few days, the leg returned to normal.
The 0.060 size was satisfactory.
the closed foot of the bird.
The 0.065 size slipped partly over
Since these tiny bands are hand-trimmed and formed, which can in some
cases leave rough edges which might cause irritation, I have prepared a
little mimeographed instruction sheet detailing the steps to follow in
order to insure a smooth-fitting, accurately formed band in these tiny
hummer sizes
I will be happy to send it to anyone interested
o
o
From time to time I have read where someone has cut down a No. 0 band
to fit a hummirigbird. Such bands cannot be used without resulting in
eventual severe injury to the legs of any of the hummers found in the
United States.
Even the Rivolis and Blue-throated species cannot carry
a No. 0, no matter how it may be trimmed, unless the numbers are destroyed
in the trimming.
A number of years ago I used some special No. OIS which were very
much smaller than those regularly supplied.
The numbers carried only
three digits.
Even with careful individual filing and shaping, these
little
bands were too wide for the tarsus of any of the. hummers, and
on later trapping they were removed and replaced with the special X
size.
I do not recommendattempting to band hummersunless the bander has
very nimble fingers and good eyes, or strong close-up glasses.
This year I captured five Annas hummerswhich were banded three years
ago, and one which was banded four years ago. I also captured a Costas
hummerwhich was banded three years ago. All of these bands were wearing
well except for the Costas and this band was 0.046 in diameter instead
of the recommended0.050. The leg had calloused to partly cover the band.
I removed it, and replaced it on the other leg with a band of proper size.
I also captured six other Annas hummerswith bands more than one year
old, and one of this group was a little
tighter than it should have been
and caused a callous to form on the leg, so it was also removed and
replaced with a slightly larger band which freely slips up and downthe
tarsus.
!.
Thinking that perhaps the aluminumitself might have caused an
allergic reaction in this species, I coated a group of bands with a
plastic preparation after forming, and tried these out. The plastic
coating improved the condition when a band of slightly less than desirable
size was used, but only partially alleviated the problem.
'.
"l am in the process of writing up the Pacific Coast races of whitecrowned sparrows for the Bent Series of Life Histories of North American
Birds.
It is possible that bird banders may have some information on
this species which has not yet been published.
Of especial interest would
be longevity records of banded individuals,c early and late dates for fall
arrivals and spring departures, respectively,
or data on nesting.
Any
.,such information which banders are willing to contribute should be sent
to:
Dr. Barbara B. DeWolfe
Department of Biological Sciences
University of California, Santa Barbara
Goleta, California
Since I am trying to meet a deadline of December31, 1960, I should
appreciate receiving the information before that date."
1/67 LYN8NOOK
WAY
SAN JOSE 29 CAi.lF.

A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE WESTERN BIRD

Transcription

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