[Tweeters] Anna's Quick Facts

[Scott Downes]

For about two decades (and maybe before) they were noted on the upper east slopes of the Cascades in both Kittitas and Yakima in late summer, so seems plausible they were migrants from the west. They have been resident in Yakima for more than a decade now, but I still see birds in wild areas of the Cascades in late summer, so seems likely we have both resident and migrant birds over here. 

Birds are wintering in many places in the Columbia Basin now, probably thanks in part due to heated feeders. That even includes a bit more winters spots like Ellensburg and Cle Elum.

As for actual data rather than my educated guesses, we’d have to do the usual methods of tracking to be certain on excavation movement patterns.

Scott Downes
Downess at charter.net
Yakima Wa


> On Jun 17, 2022, at 6:19 PM, David Hutchinson <florafaunabooks at hotmail.com> wrote:

> 

> 

> Thanks Scott, that is very interesting. Do we know possible migration routes i.e. do birds

> breed East of the mtns and winter in the Western Lowlands. via I 5 corridor? I have read that

> Annas are spreading Eastwards across the US southern states, becoming resident there. Perhaps

> also in the middle states. Likely some Rufous too. Presumably this is all relative to presence

> of feeders. Most of what I have observed is within Discovery Park/Magnolia, the epitome of a

> garden suburb. David

> 

> From: Scott Downes <downess at charter.net>

> Sent: Friday, June 17, 2022 5:41 PM

> To: David Hutchinson <florafaunabooks at hotmail.com>

> Cc: tweeters at u.washington.edu <tweeters at u.washington.edu>

> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Anna's Quick Facts

>  

> David,

> They are both resident and migrant (at least local) in Washington. Before they were resident in areas like Yakima, they were migrating over the Cascades in late summer (and still do). 

> 

> Scott Downes

> Downess at charter.net

> Yakima Wa

> 

>>> On Jun 17, 2022, at 5:07 PM, David Hutchinson <florafaunabooks at hotmail.com> wrote:

>>> 

>> 

>> They are RESIDENT not MIGRANT. Females lay two EGGS

>> They are POLYGYNOUS i.e. not pair forming.

>> Their original home town was Southern CAL but here the males

>> call and start displaying probably in December.

>> In W.Wash  both sexes largely live in suburban areas.

>> Females  can start nest-building by January. They tour MALE 

>> territories before they pick a parent for their brood.

>> These territories might be 100 yards or so apart.

>> Last year's FEMALES can certainly breed twice, but not always

>> in same nest. They favor FEEDERS, but use flowers of several colors,

>> native & ornamental, plus sap, insects, cement  & more.

>> They can be harder to find by July when they might be in molt.

>> Anna's certainly arrived in the PNW by 1946 (Vancouver Island)

>> Males are aggressive in mating & territory protection. Have

>> seen one attack a Bald Eagle in flight Thanks to American Nat Hist Museum

>> for funding and Garrett Eddy for early study info. David

>> 

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