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January 2007

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Subject:
From:
Bill Whan <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Bill Whan <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 17 Jan 2007 11:38:41 -0500
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        Hard-core listers and records mavens have known for a long time about
what seem to be impending splits in the red crossbill (Loxia
curvirostra) into as many as seven North American species. The easiest
Web source is that from the American Museum of National History at
http://research.amnh.org/ornithology/crossbills/nathist.html ; this site
has not, however, been revised for years, so you have to wonder what's
going on.
        If we end up with new crossbill species, how many might we expect in
Ohio? Most of these proposed new species are pretty nomadic, and could
show up here. As many as five have apparently done so. Crossbills have
tight associations with local cone crops, and can nest erratically
almost anywhere at any time of year if the food situation is right.
There is one Ohio nesting record, in April 1973, but it could as easily
have been in January or July, or never.
        I went through the eight Ohio specimens of red crossbills at the OSU
Museum yesterday; all have been evaluated with notes by experts as to
subspecies. One of the reviewers was "ARP," apparently Allan R.
Phillips*. Bent (1968) gives eight subspecies of L. curvirostra, and
at least two of them appear in numbers in OSU trays as Ohio specimens.
L. c. minor has three records, including one shot with a pistol in the
collector's Columbus garden from a flock of 8-10 on 18 June 1878! L. c.
pusilla has five records, including a male and female (hmmm...) from
Morgan County 3 May 1970. If you look at a tray of red crossbills, it's
easy to separate pusilla (even though this means 'tiny' in Latin) from
minor---they're a lot bigger, averaging ~50% heavier, with much larger
bills. The experts did not always agree on these subspecific
identifications however, even with the specimens in hand, as some of the
aforementioned birds were also identified as other forms, namely L. c.
benti, L. c. sitkensis, and L. c. neogaea.
        Side-by-side comparisons are of course very unlikely in the field.
Experts suggest any new species might be most easily separated in the
field by vocalizations (there are sound files on the AMNH site). Food
sources will offer hints at least. My guess is the Ohio list may grow if
the red crossbill is split, but very few Ohio life lists will benefit as
a result.
Bill Whan
Columbus

*see "Sex and Age Determination of Red Crossbills." Bird-Banding 1977,
48(2)110-117, on the Web at the SORA site.



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