John P. Hubbard

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-22-2002

Abstract

To my knowledge, no specimen of the Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) has been reported from New Mexico, although a state occurrence was verified on the basis of a vocalizing bird recorded in Santa Fe County on 11 June 1988 (Hubbard 1988; identification confirmed by J.R. Travis). Based on that record, a few other reports of vocalizing birds, and the species status in adjacent states (e.g., A.O.U. 1998), the Eastern Wood-Pewee (henceforth EAWP) is probably a regular, but rare migrant in New Mexico. Additional verified occurrences, however, are needed to validate this species' status in the state, including tape recordings and collections of vocalizing birds. In addition, using the mensural criteria of Phillips et al. (1966), Pyle (1997b), and as expanded in the present paper, existing New Mexico woodpewee specimens should be reexamined to determine if EAWP's have been overlooked or misidentified as Western Wood-Pewees (C. sordidulus, henceforth WEWP). Toward this end, I have recently begun this process at the University of New Mexico Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB), which has 38 study skins of this complex from the state. As a result, I have identified one specimen that is certainly an EAWP, plus another that is probably this species. In the process, I have also reevaluated, and hopefully improved, the mensural criteria by which specimens of this species can be distinguished from the closely similar WEWP.'

Comments

OCCASIONAL PAPERS THE MUSEUM OF SOUTHWESTERN BIOLOGY 9

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