[Birdtalk] Mistery Birds

[Tim Avery]

A side note about Couch's Kingbird in Florida.  It isn't on the checklist but
there are at least 3 "substantiated" records for this bird, noted in, "Florida
Birdlife" by Stevenson and Anderson (the birds were reportedly id'd in the
field via voice).  There have also apparently been 2 specimens collected and
both were initially mis-identified.  One bird was a Couch's and later
re-identified as a Tropical.  There is also a note about a bird that was
initially identified as a Tropical, but measurements at a later date fit
Couch's.

Obviously, Tropical would be the more likely of the two, but there are indeed
records for the Florida, I won't even try to delve into records committee's on
this one.

Cheers

Tim
Salt Lake City, UT
tanager at timaverybirding.com
http://www.timaverybirding.com
http://www.timavery.com


Quoting Dave Slager <dave.slager at gmail.com>:

> 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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