Date: 3/20/25 8:55 pm From: Diane Yorgason-Quinn via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Bufflehead x Common Goldeneye Hybrid
The Potlatch and Herron Is birds look pretty identical to me. The eye color leaps out at me, making me think it's the same bird, as at least one of the CA birds identified in the paper has a true golden eye, and this one has a russet eye, looking halfway between COGO and BUFF.
So I vote for same individual.
Diane
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From: Tweeters <tweeters-bounces...> on behalf of John Riegsecker via Tweeters <tweeters...>
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2025 2:27 PM
To: Tweeters <tweeters...>
Subject: [Tweeters] Bufflehead x Common Goldeneye Hybrid
A Bufflehead x Common Goldeneye hybrid has been reported at Potlatch
State Park since 2018. In 2024 another hybrid was reported at Herron
Island, about 17.5 miles distant overland. My first question was if
this is one or two birds. eBird shows 385 reports in the United States,
however many of these are of the same bird. For example the Potlatch
bird has been reported 47 times, and there is a bird in California that
has been reported even more often. I also came across a paper on the
subject:
If these are two distinct birds, then if they are independent events
this would be an unusual event. On the other hand, perhaps they are not
independent and if you have one bird, the odds are improved to have a
second. Reading up on the breeding and nesting habits of both breeds I
don't see any reason to suspect they would stick together.
I contacted one of the authors of the paper (who contacted one of his
coauthors) and I now have their opinions if this is one or two different
birds. Below are links to eBird lists for each bird. If any of you are
so inclined, I would like hearing your thoughts. One bird or two? Feel
free to reply to me off list and I will report back.
