[birding] probable eastern O-c Warbler

[David Irons]

Joel et al.,

It is not really accurate to refer to the northerly breeding subspecies of Orange-crowned (subspecies celata) as "eastern." In reality, the breeding range of this subspecies extends farther to the west (all across Alaska) than the "western" subspecies (lutescens), which breeds along the Pacific Coast of North America. During migration birds of the celata subspecies are presumed to pass mostly east of the Rockies, which causes many to think of them as eastern birds. However, there is mounting evidence (including Joel's sighting) that suggests at least some of the population makes its northward migration west of the Rockies. I see birds each spring (just saw one a half hour ago in s. Eugene) that are much less colorful overall than our expected lutescens. They look nearly identical to presumed celata photographed in Alaska and elsewhere in boreal Canada. The most recent authoritative work on North American warblers ("Warblers" Dunn and Garrett 1997) notes that some celata migrate south along the West Coast in Fall. But, they make no mention of northbound celata in the West. This tells me that there is much to be learned about the migratory routes of these birds. It has been a particular interest of mine for many years.

I would add that Joel's description (see below) is a good match for celata and does not sound like the subspecies orestera, which breeds in the U.S. Rocky Mountains northward into the Canadian Rockies.   

If you have further curiosity about the variability of Orange-crowned Warblers or what some of the subspecies discussed above look like, I would encourage you to visit www.birdfellow.com and check out a recent photo essay I published on this topic. The bird Joel describes sounds very similar to the last photo (taken by Dennis Vroman near Grants Pass) in my article.

Dave Irons
Content Editor BirdFellow.com 

> From: joel.geier at peak.org
> To: birding at midvalleybirding.org
> Date: Sun, 16 May 2010 07:07:35 -0700
> Subject: [birding] Blue-winged Teal still at EE Wilson,	probable eastern O-c Warbler
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> The pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL reported by Rich Armstrong yesterday were
> still on the NW corner marsh at E.E. Wilson just after sunrise this
> morning. Nice to see a breeding-plumage pair, instead of having to
> settle for that wintering female! 
> 
> I didn't see any shorebirds but they may have been on the back part of
> the marsh. On my ride back I heard my first-of-year WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES,
> which Rich had also mentioned.
> 
> Here's a link to a map that shows some of the commonly mentioned birding
> spots at E.E. Wilson:
> 
> http://www.oregonbirds.org/Images/EEWWA_birding_features.gif
> 
> Back at our house, while sorting out the chickens & sheep I noticed a
> very drab ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER foraging in a clump of hawthorns just
> above our back yard. The underparts were whitish-drab with practically
> no yellow tones. I started to think about a female Tennessee Warbler,
> but it showed a pale split eye-ring and then I also saw yellowish on the
> undertail coverts. Upperparts were generally more dull grayish than on
> our locally nesting females (ssp. lutescens), so I think it might belong
> to one of the eastern subspecies (celata or orestera, more like the
> former). The head and back coloration were similar, i.e. no distinct
> grayish head like on fall ssp. orestera (though my references don't show
> spring adult females so I'm not sure if that's significant).
> 
> Happy birding,
> Joel
> 
> --
> Joel Geier
> Camp Adair area north of Corvallis
> 
> 
> 
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