Comments on: Ber van Perlo, Birds of Mexico and Central America http://birdaz.com/blog/2006/08/13/ber-van-perlo-birds-of-mexico-and-central-america/ The Experience of Birding! Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:37:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Barry Cogswell http://birdaz.com/blog/2006/08/13/ber-van-perlo-birds-of-mexico-and-central-america/comment-page-1/#comment-50523 Barry Cogswell Mon, 03 May 2010 20:51:01 +0000 http://birdaz.com/blog/2006/08/13/ber-van-perlo-birds-of-mexico-and-central-america/#comment-50523 Rick, Thank you so much for your response Re the Blue-hooded Euphonia. It has crossed my mind that evolution is continuing a pace in Central America The birds I saw were so different from those illustrated and described in the two books I had with me. I wonder if that species is evolving from the original described bird. When you saw that species did you think of it as dull rufous, as described in 'The birds of Costa Rica' or as shimmering Golden Orange as I described it? I will try to contact someone at Princeton UP as you suggest and I thank you so much for your interest. Rick, Thank you so much for your response
Re the Blue-hooded Euphonia. It has crossed my mind that evolution is continuing a pace in Central America The birds I saw were so different from those illustrated and described in the two books I had with me. I wonder if that species is evolving from the original described bird. When you saw that species did you think of it as dull rufous, as described in ‘The birds of Costa Rica’ or as shimmering Golden Orange as I described it?
I will try to contact someone at Princeton UP as you suggest and I thank you so much for your interest.

]]> By: Rick Wright http://birdaz.com/blog/2006/08/13/ber-van-perlo-birds-of-mexico-and-central-america/comment-page-1/#comment-50238 Rick Wright Tue, 06 Apr 2010 23:28:28 +0000 http://birdaz.com/blog/2006/08/13/ber-van-perlo-birds-of-mexico-and-central-america/#comment-50238 Barry, Your best chance is to make contact with Princeton UP. I don't have a copy of the book at hand, but I don't remember that euphonia as being particularly "off." They are very beautiful in life, aren't they? Barry, Your best chance is to make contact with Princeton UP. I don’t have a copy of the book at hand, but I don’t remember that euphonia as being particularly “off.” They are very beautiful in life, aren’t they?

]]> By: Barry Cogswell http://birdaz.com/blog/2006/08/13/ber-van-perlo-birds-of-mexico-and-central-america/comment-page-1/#comment-50210 Barry Cogswell Sat, 03 Apr 2010 17:41:45 +0000 http://birdaz.com/blog/2006/08/13/ber-van-perlo-birds-of-mexico-and-central-america/#comment-50210 I wish to comment on a Central American bird that I observed for some time in the mountains north of Estelli, Nicaragua. The Bird is a Blue-hooded Euphonia. In Ber Van Perlo's book, and all the others I have seen of Central American birds, the description of this Euphonia is different to the bird I saw. In the books it is described as having a dull russet breast and belly. The two male birds that I watched feeding on mistletoe had brilliant, almost shimmering, golden-orange chests breasts and bellies. The birds were with females and were unmistakable. I was so shocked to see how inaccurate the descriptions in the books were (they were all the same) that I went back to the same sight the following day to confirm what I had seen. I would be very grateful if you could get this information to Mr Van Perlo if you have any way of contacting him. Sincerely Barry Cogswell I wish to comment on a Central American bird that I observed for some time in the mountains north of Estelli, Nicaragua. The Bird is a Blue-hooded Euphonia. In Ber Van Perlo’s book, and all the others I have seen of Central American birds, the description of this Euphonia is different to the bird I saw. In the books it is described as having a dull russet breast and belly. The two male birds that I watched feeding on mistletoe had brilliant, almost shimmering, golden-orange chests breasts and bellies. The birds were with females and were unmistakable. I was so shocked to see how inaccurate the descriptions in the books were (they were all the same) that I went back to the same sight the following day to confirm what I had seen.

I would be very grateful if you could get this information to Mr Van Perlo if you have any way of contacting him.
Sincerely
Barry Cogswell

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