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Green Violet-ear habitat



Josh Rose wrote:
>
> I'm still wondering why all three Green Violet-ear records for the
> Carolinas are in the NC mountains, none in SC, none in the Piedmont or
> Coastal Plain. I mean, they apparently live in the mountains in their
> normal breeding range, but the mountains are a heck of a lot warmer down
> there!
>
Well, Josh, the mountains where Green Violet-ears breed in Central America
at not necessarily much warmer than the North Carolina mountains in summer.
During the summer I think there is a great deal of similarity between the
places where I have seen Green Violet-ears in Costa Rica and the NC
mountains.

There are so many records from the US and Canada for this species I would
hazard a guess that they might be breeding somewhere in the Hill Country of
Texas or perhaps in the Arkansas Ozarks. Why not? If I am not too confused
about my facts I think that Great-tailed Grackles have moved into Texas only
in the last 150 years or so, and now they breed all the way up to Iowa, if
not farther. Piratic Flycatchers (a very migratory species) are showing up
more and more in the southwestern US, and even Tufted Flycatcher, Social
Flycatcher, and Blue Mockingbird turn up from time to time. So bring on the
whole lot. I just love to write in species on my South Carolina field card.
My prediction of the next "Mexican" species to show up in South Carolina is
Inca Dove (at the cattle feed lots near Townville, SC on a Clemson Christmas
Bird Count). I will settle for a Green Violet-ear. What a cool bird!

Robin Carter
Columbia, SC
rcarter@sc.rr.com