Re: RFI: Crane Hawk specimen formerly at UMRC

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TROPICALAUDUBON.ORG WWWBoard ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Bob Kelley on November 24, 2003 at 00:51:16:

In Reply to: RFI: Crane Hawk specimen formerly at UMRC posted by Bill Pranty on November 22, 2003 at 10:24:56:

Mrs. Arthur Gasche is probably Mary Gasche
who was one of the few bird rehabilitators in Dade County at that time. The skin was undoubtedly prepared by Wilfredo Fernandez, who was employed as Oscar Owre's preparator in those days. I do not remember the bird, but I will try to check if any of the graduate students of that time are still around. Jim Kushlan was around in those days working on his Ph.D. thesis project on the White Ibis. I wonder if he knows that we have a small group that now lives on campus.
Bob Kelley

: Good morning.

: This is directed to those Miami-Dade birders who have been around for a while (e.g., Bob Kelley, Mickey Wheeler et al.).

: Sometime around 1993 or 1994, the University of Miami gave up its bird collection to use the space for other purposes. The bulk of the collection went the Field Museum at Chicago, but especially significant Florida specimens stayed in Florida, at Archbold Biological Station. I was on the trip that went to Miami to sort through the specimens and pick those that Glen Woolfenden et al. wanted to keep at Archbold.

: One of these specimens is of a male Crane Hawk (Geranospiza caerulescens), catalog number UMRC 7520. According to the specimen tag, the bird was "found flying free" in nw Miami in Apr or May 1972 and was kept in captivity by a "Mrs. Arthur Gasche" until its death on 2 Aug 1973, when it was donated to UMRC.

: To my knowledge, the existence of this specimen has never been published in the ornithological literature. I listed it among the "Exotic Birds of Florida" in my bird-finding guide published by ABA in 1996, and this may be the only _published_ mention of the specimen anywhere.

: It seems like a long shot, but can any reader of this list shed additional light on this specimen?

: Crane Hawks are native from northern Mexico south through South America, and the only accepted North American record is one that was photographed at Santa Ana NWR, Texas, from 20 Dec 1987 through 9 Apr 1988.

: Thanks.

:
: Best regards,

: Bill Pranty
: Avon Park, Florida

Follow Ups:

Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:
: Mrs. Arthur Gasche is probably Mary Gasche : who was one of the few bird rehabilitators in Dade County at that time. The skin was undoubtedly prepared by Wilfredo Fernandez, who was employed as Oscar Owre's preparator in those days. I do not remember the bird, but I will try to check if any of the graduate students of that time are still around. Jim Kushlan was around in those days working on his Ph.D. thesis project on the White Ibis. I wonder if he knows that we have a small group that now lives on campus. : Bob Kelley : : : Good morning. : : This is directed to those Miami-Dade birders who have been around for a while (e.g., Bob Kelley, Mickey Wheeler et al.). : : Sometime around 1993 or 1994, the University of Miami gave up its bird collection to use the space for other purposes. The bulk of the collection went the Field Museum at Chicago, but especially significant Florida specimens stayed in Florida, at Archbold Biological Station. I was on the trip that went to Miami to sort through the specimens and pick those that Glen Woolfenden et al. wanted to keep at Archbold. : : One of these specimens is of a male Crane Hawk (Geranospiza caerulescens), catalog number UMRC 7520. According to the specimen tag, the bird was "found flying free" in nw Miami in Apr or May 1972 and was kept in captivity by a "Mrs. Arthur Gasche" until its death on 2 Aug 1973, when it was donated to UMRC. : : To my knowledge, the existence of this specimen has never been published in the ornithological literature. I listed it among the "Exotic Birds of Florida" in my bird-finding guide published by ABA in 1996, and this may be the only _published_ mention of the specimen anywhere. : : It seems like a long shot, but can any reader of this list shed additional light on this specimen? : : Crane Hawks are native from northern Mexico south through South America, and the only accepted North American record is one that was photographed at Santa Ana NWR, Texas, from 20 Dec 1987 through 9 Apr 1988. : : Thanks. : : : : Best regards, : : Bill Pranty : : Avon Park, Florida

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TROPICALAUDUBON.ORG WWWBoard ] [ FAQ ]