Re: Short-tailed Hawk Morphs

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Posted by Bill Pranty on 23:11:03 09/23/04

In Reply to: Short-tailed Hawk Morphs posted by John Boyd

Hi John,

Intersting question. I checked all the FOS Field Observations Committee reports since 1992 and got 180 dark morphs and 101 light morphs -- with a lot of unspecified morphs.

The BNA accounts quotes John Ogden (1973) as reporting a 4:1 dark:light ratio based on ~70 observations at ENP.

The BNA account also gives a 22:14 dark:light ratio based on birds captured throughout the peninsula during Ken Meyer's study.

Since mixed pairs produce "pure" morphs (i.e., there are no intermediate plumages), it seems reasonable to suggest that the ratio of dark:light would vary annually -- and perhaps also regionally.

Best regards,

Bill Pranty
Avon Park, Florida

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Comments:	: Hi John, : : Intersting question. I checked all the FOS Field Observations Committee reports since 1992 and got 180 dark morphs and 101 light morphs -- with a lot of unspecified morphs. : : The BNA accounts quotes John Ogden (1973) as reporting a 4:1 dark:light ratio based on ~70 observations at ENP. : : The BNA account also gives a 22:14 dark:light ratio based on birds captured throughout the peninsula during Ken Meyer's study. : : Since mixed pairs produce "pure" morphs (i.e., there are no intermediate plumages), it seems reasonable to suggest that the ratio of dark:light would vary annually -- and perhaps also regionally. : : : Best regards, : : Bill Pranty : Avon Park, Florida
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