...the article seems to include Spanish and Corsican birds in cinclus, which is a novelty to me...
The definition of Dipper subspecies certainly seems to be a mess, in continental Europe anyway, with aquaticus (at least) perhaps better treated as a colour morph of nominate cinclus...?Campos F. et al. (2010). The White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus subspecies in Spain. Ringing & Migration 25: 3–6.
M. Ángeles HERNÁNDEZ, Francisco CAMPOS, Tomás SANTAMARÍA, Luis CORRALES, M. Ángeles ROJO and Susana DIAS. Genetic differences among iberian white-throated dipper Cinclus cinclus populations based on the cytocrome b sequence. Ardeola 59(1), 2012, 111-122.
[Abstract]
Hourlay, Libois, D'Amico, Sarà, O'Halloran & Michaux 2008. Evidence of a highly complex phylogeographic structure on a specialist river bird species, the dipper (Cinclus cinclus). Mol Phylogenet Evol 49(2): 435–444. [pdf]It seems that its taxonomic status needs a revision: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2008.07.025
Ormerod & Tyler 2005 (HBW 10):request: Dippers: cinclus & pallasii
Dear All
Professor Jochen Martens (Professor Emeritus at Mainz Uni) ([email protected]) has asked whether anyone could assist with this mystery. The question was initially posed to OSME members but the the vast majority of brown dippers' breeding distribution is in the OBC region.
"I want to draw your attention to one open point to which OSME observers may contribute. In a large ongoing project on Sino-Tibetan passerines we found that our (few) samples of high-altitude Brown Dippers Cinclus pallasii from China actually all belong to White-throated C. cinclus. This was the case up to 4000 m, and we observed even a "mixed" pair at that height. There is a possibility that (all?) high-altitude pallasii might in reality be brown/dark cinclus. Perhaps OSME observers might contribute to this question by the collection of genetic samples (blood, muscle, even single feathers may do)." [Original text slightly edited]
Please address any offers of help to Jochen.
Dave Buckingham
Although C pallasii occurs at lower altitudes than C cinclus in China and the Himalayas, the reverse is true in the Tien Shan in Kazakhstan...Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii
... In extreme parts of its range in Central Asia it is sympatric with Eurasian Dipper. It has been stated (Meyer & Schauensee 1984) that there is an altitudinal separation between the species, the Brown Dipper occurring lower down. However, this is certainly not invariable; in one stream in Uzbekistan the nests of the two species alternated along a length of stream (Kashkarov et al. 1995).
Richard,
Here's hoping that someone reading the appeal will be able to obtain some data that might help explain the conundrum.
MJB
Im not sure how to interpret this passage. If 4000m is the upper limit of brown-looking-but-actually-white-throated dippers (which is what I assume they're saying), what's the lower limit at?This was the case up to 4000 m, and we observed even a "mixed" pair at that height.