Erika and I noticed those Yellow-rumped Warblers on 24 February 2022 on the Billy Frank Jr Nationwide Flora and fauna Shelter. After we moved to Olympia, we didn’t be expecting to peer each races of this chicken—the white-throated Myrtle Warbler and the yellow-throated Audubon’s Warbler. We now have all the time considered the Myrtle Warbler as an japanese chicken, whilst Audubon’s are western. This assumption is principally proper, however the Myrtle Warbler does breed in Alaska and northerly British Columbia. Thus the 2 races do happen north folks right here in Washington and will also be anticipated emigrate throughout the state.
Even though the 2 races interbreed within the restricted spaces the place they overlap, ornithologists nonetheless argue in the event that they constitute one or two species. The Audubon Society writes: “Even supposing the white-throated Myrtle and yellow-throated Audubon’s varieties interbreed the place they meet, they’re very distinct genetically during the remainder of their vary. The proof means that every is a complete species.” The American Ornithological Society’s Tick list Committee has but to agree.
