[Birdtalk] Mistery Birds

[Dave Slager]

Thanks for the quiz, Ed!

I agree with Kris that bird #1 is a juvenile Vermillion Flycatcher.
The thing that tripped me up at first is that the bill looks short and
conical (verdin-like) on the thumbnail photo.  But if you click on the
photo to zoom in, the bill looks a lot thinner and flycatcher-like.
Some good field marks for juv Vermillion flycatcher that show up are
the flesh-colored basal part of the lower mandible, the faint short
streaks on the breast and sides, scaly mantle and nape, and apparently
white (rather than yellow) undertail coverts area.  Shape, although
partially obscured by the juniper tree, is also pretty good for VEFL.

As for quiz #2, woah!  The bird is pretty straightforwardly a
yellow-bellied Tryannus kingbird.  But since this photo was taken in
SE FL, things become a lot more interesting.  Western flycatcher
regularly winters in S FL, but the upper breast on this bird is
extensively yellow, fading to greenish (as opposed to light gray in
WEFL), and the bill looks very long and massive.  This points to a
Tropical/Couch's Kingbird, and although the photo might not be
identifiable between the two, this is a very good bird in FL (Couch's
hasn't been recorded; Tropical is a review species--not sure if it's
casual or accidental).  Better get in touch with the Florida records
committee, Ed!

Dave Slager
Grand Rapids, MI


On 9/15/07, Kristin Purdy <kristinpurdy at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
> Gee, Ed; you give hard quizzes!
>
> I'll take a stab on both and perhaps make a fool of myself. Mystery bird #1
> looks like a juvenile Vermillion Flycatcher, a regular in SE Arizona.
>
> Mystery bird #2 is the scary one--perhaps a Tropical Kingbird, a REALLY good
> bird for Florida. Although the species has occured in Florida before, it's
> considered a review bird. My other choice was the Couch's, but that's even
> less likely. Any other opinions out there, because I'm really not sure of
> this one?
>
> Kris
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Edson Leite
> To: birdtalk at utahbirds.org
> Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 4:42 PM
> Subject: [Birdtalk] Mistery Birds
>
>
> I have been going through all my pictures and found these two that I would
> some some input on.
>
> I have a pretty good idea what they are.
> http://www.edsonleite.com//displayimage.php?pos=-6
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Ed
> good birding
>
> Edson Leite
> 801-560-8197
>
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