dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Mark) (09/03/90)
Strictly speaking, an "endemic" species is one that has been observed no where else. The USA has quite a few endemics living in Hawaii. But what about the other 49 states? How many species of birds have ONLY been observed in the 48 'contiguous' states plus Alaska? Can you name them? Even one accidental occurrence in Canada or in Mexico would disqualify a candidate. (I know of only 3 certain endemics, plus two others that I'm not sure about.) David Mark dmark@sun.acsu.buffalo.edu
herrera@tegra.COM (Valentino Herrera) (09/10/90)
In article <34605@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Mark) writes: >Strictly speaking, an "endemic" species is one that has been observed >no where else. The USA has quite a few endemics living in Hawaii. But >what about the other 49 states? How many species of birds have ONLY >been observed in the 48 'contiguous' states plus Alaska? Can you >name them? Even one accidental occurrence in Canada or in Mexico would >disqualify a candidate. (I know of only 3 certain endemics, plus two others >that I'm not sure about.) The Heath Hen WAS endemic to several islands off the coast of Massachusetts. Until we hunted it to extinction. Shame. -- +---------------------------------------------------------------+ |Valentino Herrera Tegra/Varityper tegra!herrera@ulowell.edu | | "And the meek shall inherit s**t" | +---------------------------------------------------------------+
andrewt@cs.su.oz (Andrew Taylor) (09/11/90)
In article <1359@batman.tegra.COM> herrera@batman.UUCP (Valentino Herrera) writes: >The Heath Hen WAS endemic to several islands off the coast of >Massachusetts. Until we hunted it to extinction. Shame. The Heath Hen was a subspecies. Was the Carolina Parakeet a US endemic?
rcb33483@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Kehaar) (09/11/90)
In article <1191@cluster.cs.su.oz.au> andrewt@cluster.cs.su.oz (Andrew Taylor) writes: > >The Heath Hen was a subspecies. Was the Carolina Parakeet a US endemic? Yes, it was--I believe it was the only parrot on the planet that was endemic to an area with a termperate clime. I KNOW it was the only parrot endemic to N. America. Until we (mainly orchard owners) hunted that to extinction. Even up to the present, when an animal species and the human species compete for a certain resource (such as fruit orchards), 95% of the time the animal loses. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- R. Cody Buchmann ^.^ "Kehaar" "He tell *me* the plan...I *know* the email: rcb33483@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu plan!" -Watership Down. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Mark) (09/12/90)
In article <1191@cluster.cs.su.oz.au> andrewt@cluster.cs.su.oz (Andrew Taylor) writes: > >The Heath Hen was a subspecies. Was the Carolina Parakeet a US endemic? I am almost certain that it was. There are no Canadian records. David Mark dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu
dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Mark) (09/12/90)
In article <1990Sep11.164408.3602@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> rcb33483@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Kehaar) writes: >>The Heath Hen was a subspecies. Was the Carolina Parakeet a US endemic? > >Yes, it was--I believe it was the only parrot on the planet that was endemic to >an area with a termperate clime. ... Not true. The Monk Parakeet, treated as a pest by USDA, is from temperate Argentina. And there are some parrots in Tasmania, including at least one endemic. > ... I KNOW it was the only parrot endemic to N. >America. Correct, if North America excludes the Carribean islands and Mexico and Central America. David Mark dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu
rcb33483@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Kehaar) (09/12/90)
In article <35594@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Mark) writes: > >> ... I KNOW it was the only parrot endemic to N. >>America. > >Correct, if North America excludes the Carribean islands and Mexico and >Central America. > >David Mark >dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu Yes, by North America I mean the Lower 48, not any of it's island holdings or Central America. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- R. Cody Buchmann ^.^ "Kehaar" "He tell *me* the plan...I *know* the email: rcb33483@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu plan!" -Watership Down. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
wolfd@microsoft.UUCP (Wolf DUBY) (09/13/90)
Kirtland's Warbler, if it is still extant, is native to one grove of evergreens in the northern half of Michigan's lower peninsula. 'Tis a right purty bird, too.
dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Mark) (09/13/90)
In article <57362@microsoft.UUCP> wolfd@microsoft.UUCP (Wolf DUBY) writes: >Kirtland's Warbler, if it is still extant, is native to >one grove of evergreens in the northern half of Michigan's >lower peninsula. I think there are about 200 pairs still. And they nest in young Jack Pine stands in two or a few counties in Michigan. But, they spend the winters in the Bahamas, and actually spend more of the year in the islands than in the Michigan pines. So, they are not a US endemic. They have been seen, singing on territory, in Canada as well, but I think all known nests are from the USA. But Kirtland's Warbler may be better thought of as a Bahamas bird that flies north briefly to breed before heading home. The question: other than the full endemics, what bird species have not been known to breed outside the United States is interesting, and I don't know the answer. I think both of Bachman's birds (Warbler, Sparrow) would qualify. But there won't be many. David Mark dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu