ABREOJOS SAVAXNAH SPARROW 721 



Van Rossem (1947) states that the winter dispersal of guttatus is 

 limited, with only a very few individuals wintering in the Cape 

 region. 



Distribution 



Range. — The Abreojos Savannah sparrow is resident in central 

 western Baja California (Pond Lagoon, San Ignacio Lagoon). It 

 wintere casually south to southern Baja California (San Jorge, San 

 Jos6 del Cabo). 



PASSERCULUS SANDWICHENSIS MAGDALENAE van Rossem 



Magdalena Savannah Sparrow 

 Contributed by Wendell Taber 



Habits 



The more southerly of the two races forming the "guttatus" group, 

 P. s. magdalenae is resident in the marshes of Magdalena Bay, south- 

 western Baja California, and winters south to the Cape district of Baja 

 California. According to its describer, A. J. van Rossem (1947), it 

 is similar in coloration to P.s. guttatus but is "lighter and more greenish 

 (less gi-ayish) olive; dorsal markings more prominent (less diffused) 

 due to the lighter edgings. Size averages larger in all dimensions 

 save for the bill which is lightly shorter and thicker at the base; culmen 

 outline more convex." 



Van Rossem (1947) continues: "This race is the culmination of the 

 strongly yellow-browed, peninsular Savannah Sparrows with rela- 

 tively slender bills which average less (usually much less) than a 7.0 

 millimeter depth at the base. It forms a good connecting link between 

 the smaller-billed, more northern guttatus and the larger-billed ros- 

 tratus group of the continental mainland and the San Benito Islands 

 in that it possesses the essential coloration of the former combined 

 with the general larger size of the latter." 



Distribution 



Range. — The Magdalena Savannah sparrow breeds, and is largely 

 resident, in the marshes of Magdalena Bay, southwestern Baja 

 California (San Jorge, North Estero, Santa Margarita Island). 

 It winters in the breeding range and also south to the Cape district 

 of Baja California (Todos Santos, Cape San Lucas). 



