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From: sandee@sun16.scri.fsu.edu (Daan Sandee)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: "Sparred" Owl
Message-ID: <1138@sun13.scri.fsu.edu>
Date: 17 Oct 90 13:08:47 GMT
References: <1990Oct16.085100@Unify.com>
Sender: news@sun13.scri.fsu.edu
Organization: SCRI, Florida State University
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In article <1990Oct16.085100@Unify.com> grp@Unify.com (Greg Pasquariello) writes:
>Last night I received a newsletter from my old birding group
>in NJ, and there was an article about hybridization
>between Barred and Spotted Owls in the Pacific Northwest
>Apparently, this has happened in at least two cases, one in 
>Washington, and one in Oregon.  This has caused some concern
>among biologists that the more aggressive Barred Owl might
>threaten the species status of the Spotted Owl.
>
>-Greg Pasquariello	grp@unify.com

I've read the same thing somewhere but I haven't been able to find where.
As I remember, the Barred Owl is invading California, and hybridizing with
Spotted Owl occasionally. As it is less specialized in choice of habitat, it
is going to win out wherever they meet. If that trend continues, the A.O.U.
will have to lump them, according to their criterium - successful hybridiz-
ation occurs frequently when they meet. I haven't heard about Arizona
(Southern Spotted Owl).
As for concern : there is no evidence (apparently) of human involvement.
So it appears to be a natural process. Of course, it will give concern to
people who like the greatest possible diversity in Nature, as expressed by
the number of species, and to birders who see their life lists threatened ...
As I read it (wherever it was that I read it), Manuel Lujan was reported to
have reacted brightly about the possibility of the Northern Spotted Owl
being degraded to a subspecies. But he was wrong : it already IS a subspecies.
And changing the name to Northern Sparred Owl is not going to make it less
threatened ... (Just a vicious rumor, I suppose. About the smile on Lujan's
face, I mean).

Daan Sandee                                           sandee@sun16.scri.fsu.edu
Supercomputer Computations Research Institute
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4052  (904) 644-7045