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A vote for conservation...

To: Jim Tate <>, Colin R <>, "" <>
Subject: A vote for conservation...
From: Nikolas Haass <>
Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2014 07:56:01 -0700 (PDT)
Had another look at the passerine (2:08-2:10). As I said earlier, it's a 
Locustella. However, since not all field marks are visible to tell all species 
of that genus apart, I have to include Pallas's and Middendorf's Grasshopper 
Warbler (two Asian Locustella species) to the potential candidates. Doesn't 
really matter as none of them occur in Yellowstone!


And yes, it is a bit nerdy to try to correctly ID the mis-IDs but it tells you 
somewhat with how much care this video was put together and that it is always 
good to gather more information.

Nikolas
 
----------------
Nikolas Haass

Brisbane, QLD


________________________________
From: Nikolas Haass <>
To: Jim Tate <>; Colin R <>; 
"" <> 
Sent: Saturday, April 5, 2014 9:05 AM
Subject: A vote for conservation...
 


Hi Jim,

Yes, I agree that generalizing (of the big picture of this story) is somewhat 
misleading and sometimes even counterproductive.
I agree that they should have called the Elk Elk.
No, it's not a Warbling Vireo. Neither jizz, nor bill shape, nor facial 
pattern, nor bill movement during song fit Warbling Vireo. Unfortunately, the 
video doesn't have the song and doesn't show that Locustella-style undertail 
coverts...

Cheers,

Nikolas
 
----------------
Nikolas Haass

Brisbane, QLD


________________________________
From: Jim Tate <>
To: Nikolas Haass <>; Colin R <>; 
"" <> 
Sent: Saturday, April 5, 2014 5:12 AM
Subject: A vote for conservation...
 


If you choose to say any member of the Cervidae (deer family) is a deer, then 
the Moose (1:56-1:58 ) is also a deer.  I kinda wish the narrator would have 
said "Elk", instead of generalizing for this popularized video. 

The bird at 2:08-2:10 is probably a Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) the only 
vireo that regularly nests in Yellowstone.  I can almost hear its song in the 
picture (a rapid warbling song with a accented, high-pitched last note: "If I 
sees you, I will seize you, and I'll squeeze you till you squirt!") - go to 
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/warbling_vireo/sounds. 

Going to the bigger picture, I feel like the video generalized the pluses of 
predator reintroduction and may be somewhat misleading to the uninformed 
public.  This what we used to call "Gee Whiz Biology."  Here are a couple of 
the best articles on Trophic Cascades at Yellowstone:
http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/04-0953 
http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.2307/1941684 

Yeah, I enjoyed the video, and sent it on to some of my friends.  Thank you, 
Colin R., for sharing.          -TATE




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