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July 2014

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From:
Chris Caprette <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Chris Caprette <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 3 Jul 2014 10:49:57 -0400
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I apologize if this is a double post. I accidentally sent my initial
reply to the old listserv address.

I've noticed this variation in house finches also but recently I had a
pair of putative purple finches arrive that had me scratching my head.
The female was strongly marked typical for purple finches but the male
looked like a chunky, more colorful house finch. That is to say, his
coloration was less magenta and more orange but he lacked the brown cap
I associate with most house finches around here. Still, had it not been
for the female I would have assumed it was an especially colorful house
finch.

If I remember correctly, the yellows and reds in birds are due to
carotenoid pigments which birds cannot synthesize (nor any other
vertebrates for that matter.) Rather they are obtained from food, mainly
plant matter. Perhaps rather than hybridization or relaxed selection on
coloration causing the increased variation, what we are seeing is a
change in the chemical composition of foods eaten by these birds due to
changes in the food available to them. The flora of this part of the
world has changed a lot over the years with many native species losing
out to exotics and other native species either contracting or expanding
their range.

Food for thought.

Chris Caprette

On 7/3/2014 8:51 AM, David Hochadel wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Interesting observations regarding these finches.  The BNA (Birds of North
> America) account of Purple Finch indicates that it is most closely related
> to Cassin's Finch and that House Finch is a more distant relative. They do
> not cite any proven hybridizations with either species. There are two
> possible records of hybridization with Cassin's. They cite two possible
> instances of Purple Finch X House Finch. In one case a male was consorting
> with a female House Finch and her young. The second case was based solely
> on morphological anomolies in a male finch. There is no DNA evidence of
> hybridization cited in the BNA account. These accounts summarize the most
> recent literature for each species and are regularly updated by the authors.
>
> Given that it is an extreme northeast Ohio specialty, I have paid close
> attention to Purple Finches for over 30 years, especially during the
> breeding season, and have not seen evidence of mixed pairs.
>
> Considering that House Finches only recently colonized the eastern US it is
> worth studying how they interact and potentially hybridize with closely
> related species. As Haans pointed out they show a lot of variation,
> especially in coloration, which leads to some confusion with non-typical
> individuals. My own feeling is that the two species lead separate lives
> here in northeast Ohio.
>
> Dave Hochadel
> Trumbull County
> On Wed, Jul 2, 2014 at 6:11 PM, Haans Petruschke <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Okay so House Finches show a high degree of variation in morphology.  From
>> my observation size, shape and plumage can be highly variable. In 1964 B.P
>> "Pat" Bole found Ohio's first House Finches here in Kirtland, so separating
>> House Finch from Purple Finch is something I have been doing most of my
>> life, as both nest here.
>>
>> But I have to say this is becoming increasingly difficult, as I am seeing
>> more and more males who show characteristics of both species.  If not for
>> the curved culmen on some of the more colorful, less streaky, individuals I
>> would think I was looking at a Cassin's finch or Purple Finch.  The flanks
>> are often colored and nearly lacking in streaks or have very very fine
>> almost non existent streaking if the flanks are uncolored.  Also the color
>> of these individuals is not the magenta of a Purple Finch tending to be
>> lighter and less magenta.  I'm also noticing that some streak flanked
>> individuals are showing a straighter culmen than I expect.  Thus far I have
>> not noticed a female showing any hint of a supercillium.
>>
>> Given proximity and similarity I wonder how much hybridization is going on?
>>
>>
>> For those who live in the NE quadrant of Ohio, where both Purple Finch and
>> House Finch are nesting species, I would urge you to pay more attention the
>> the variation in House Finches.  Photographing extreme individuals might be
>> interesting as well.
>>
>> Haans
>>
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> ______________________________________________________________________
>
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