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McGILL BIRD OBSERVATORY |
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Two subspecies of the Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum) are recognized. The Western Palm Warbler (D.p. palmarum) breeds across most of the species' range, while the Yellow Palm Warbler (D.p. hypocrysea) is limited to the eastern limits of it, principally from Quebec east. There is suspected to be a zone of intergrade of unknown extent between the two subspecies, most of which is likely to be in Quebec. However, limited research has been done in this area, and the nature of these potential intergrades remains poorly understood. At McGill Bird Observatory in Montreal, Quebec, Palm Warblers are observed and banded each fall, and occasionally in much smaller numbers in spring. Photos have been taken of many of the individuals banded, and considerable variation in appearance has been noted. However, assigning these birds to subspecies often leads to considerable debate, as existing references differ in their descriptions of the two. As MBO is located south of the hypothetical zone of intergrade between the two subspecies, it is not surprising that there is some difficulty in classifying individuals - but we still aim to try, as much as possible. Below are photos of several individuals, illustrating the range of variation observed. We welcome all comments at id@migrationresearch.org - the more detail you can provide in terms of substantiating your assessment, the better. Also, if anyone has any further photos to contribute to this page, we welcome those - examples from one end of the range or the other would be of particular interest. We will compile results on this page and/or in the Palm Warbler page (when completed) in the MBO Photo Library. Thank you for your input.
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