Date: 12/7/25 10:57 am From: Jake Shorty <jakeshorty...> Subject: [cobirds] Re: Documenting hybrid geese in Colorado for eBird (& a few other matters)
Hi all, it's that time of year again and I wanted to bump Ted's guidelines
for reporting goose hybrids on eBird:
*Some hybrid combos, like Greater White-fronted Goose x Canada Goose, are
rather stereotyped and can probably be reliably identified in the field.
Trickier for us in Colorado are hybrid geese with one Snow/Ross's parent
and one Cackling/Canada parent. Here's the deal. For a hybrid Snow/Ross's x
Cackling/Canada not supported by a photo, please eBird it as just that:
Snow/Ross's x Cackling/Canada. With photos, however, it may be possible to
determine the precise hybrid combo—for example, Snow x Cackling, which
seems in Colorado to be the most common of the four possibilities. And
identifications at that level of precision require a photo (or, better, a
series of photos) for inclusion in the public database.*
Hybrids (and goose subspecies) require careful review, and even with photos
things can remain uncertain. It's not a ding against one's expertise to use
slash designations and conservative taxa as a default! It provides more
scientifically rigorous data for all the bird populations involved.
Best,
Jake Shorty
Denver
On Saturday, 15 February 2025 at 18:27:51 UTC-7 l p wrote:
sorry for any confusion. this was Centennial Park, 6 Feb 2025.
On Friday, February 7, 2025 at 7:36:42 AM UTC-7 l p wrote:
Hi Ted, what about a provisional ID on an Hybrid Duck? with a photo? I
posted what might be a gadwall x northern pintail hybrid to this site
yesterday. i'm reluctant to get this wrong on ebird, but I would
certainly like to get it on ebird as a correct hybrid species, if that is
the case. i changed the ID on my checklist from hybrid to simply gadwall
with an explanation.
thank you
Linda Purcell
On Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 9:30:16 PM UTC-7 Ted Floyd wrote:
Hey, everybody.
Colorado eBirders have been doing a great job in recent winters of
reporting hybrid geese. Ranges are expanding and numbers are increasing for
several species of geese that breed in the Arctic and winter to Colorado,
and it is not surprising that we are seeing more hybrids than in the past.
Some hybrid combos, like Greater White-fronted Goose x Canada Goose, are
rather stereotyped and can probably be reliably identified in the field.
Trickier for us in Colorado are hybrid geese with one Snow/Ross's parent
and one Cackling/Canada parent. Here's the deal. For a hybrid Snow/Ross's x
Cackling/Canada not supported by a photo, please eBird it as just that:
Snow/Ross's x Cackling/Canada. With photos, however, it may be possible to
determine the precise hybrid combo—for example, Snow x Cackling, which
seems in Colorado to be the most common of the four possibilities. And
identifications at that level of precision *require a photo* (or, better, a
series of photos) for inclusion in the public database.
I had an experience earlier today, Sat., Feb. 1, at Stearns Lake, Boulder
Co., that illustrates how the hybrid goose review process works. First off,
here's the eBird checklist, with the hybrid goose being the third entry on
the checklist:
I have provisionally identified the bird as a Snow x Canada hybrid. It is
up to an eBird reviewer (other than Yours Truly) to evaluate the record. In
particularly tricky cases, experts from outside Colorado may be appealed
to; but, honestly, in the case of hybrid geese, eBird reviewers in Colorado
probably have as good a handle on the matter as experts anywhere. Not that
I would ever be guilty of Colorado homerism or anything like that... If the
record is not accepted as a Snow x Canada hybrid, then I will change it to
the more inclusive Snow/Ross's x Cackling/Canada combo—ensuring that the
photos and the occurrence remain in the public database.
Bottom line:
Snow/Ross's x Cackling/Canada without photos—that's fine, but provide a
written description.
Snow x Cackling, Snow x Canada, etc.—photo(s) required.
Photos and audio are absolutely the gold standard for eBird documentation,
but I want to take this opportunity to exhort folks to provide written
descriptions where photos are not possible. Indeed, that happened to me
this afternoon. I was running an errand in Louisville, Boulder Co., and I
saw a Gray Catbird, an eBird review species for the winter months in
Boulder Co. Here's the checklist:
The Gray Catbird is toward the bottom of the checklist. I haven't checked
the eBird review queue yet, but I imagine that one will sail through the
review process. It's not a hard ID; I saw the bird well; it's honestly not
all that rare here in winter; and, most important, I provided a written
description for the reviewer to evaluate.
One other thought, whilst I'm in a verbose mood this Candlemas eve. And
happy happy to all who observe. Imolc, too, and Marmot Day. Lots going on.
But I digress. Back to eBird. While we're busy photo-documenting hybrid
geese and writing down descriptions of catbirds, let's also consider the
supreme value of taking a bit of time to explain high counts on eBird
checklists. Consider again my Stearns Lake checklist from today:
First, bop on down to American Tree Sparrow. A decent flock of at least 76
individuals. How do I know that?—I actually counted them up in my photos.
See details on checklist for methods.
Then, at the bottom, see Western Meadowlark. Another high count, this time
of 70 individuals. A photo wasn't possible, as they were mostly popping out
of a corn field in singles and pairs, but I did count most of them, and
conservatively estimated the rest of the birds I saw and heard out there.
And the main point: I wrote it down.
Alrighty, that's what I got tonight. Take pics of hybrid geese;
photo-document high counts where possible; and we can never put too many
notes in our eBird checklists!
Ted Floyd
Lafayette, Boulder Co.
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