A very probable hybrid Townsend's x Black-throated Gray Warbler was banded at the Tommy Thompson Park Bird Research Station (Leslie Street Spit) in Toronto on 25 April 2012. See photos. http://www.ttpbrs.ca/
Sievert Rohwer who authored the paper below commented, "This bird looks just like I remember our specimen of the Townsend's Black-throated Gray hybrid. Particularly diagnostic is the faint yellow on the breast (which does not distinguish Hermit hybrids), and the white in the posterior part of the cheek patch and the stripe above the eye, both of which we have only seen in this hybrid. And the grey in the back." For more information on this hybrid. http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Auk/v111n02/p0441-p0449.pdf I thank Nigel Shaw who sent me photos on Friday and asked for comments about the identification. Nigel suspected it could be a hybrid Townsend's x Black-throated Gray. I then checked with Michel Gosselin, Peter Pyle and Declan Troy who thought that this hybrid was the best fit. Declan consulted with Sievert Rohwer, who has done much research on hybridization and genetics of Townsend's and related warblers. Ron Pittaway Minden, Ontario _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
