[Birdtalk] Re: Red Butte Warbler ID

[Matt Mills]

Hey all,

To me the most interesting feature on this bird is the head. It seems to be clean and greyish with the eye-ring the only prominent feature. Also, the clean demarcation of the contrasting lighter throat and how all of the streaking on the breast begins along a straight line. To me these features, along with the undertail pattern make this bird look a bit like  a Yellow-rumped Warbler. 

I realize other things are missing (and that it's almost certainly NOT a YRWA, but I'm just chiming in here) - there doesn't appear to be any yellow on the rump in Photo #3 , the back appears quite green in Photo #2, there is no eye line in any of the photos and the eyering appears to be complete - But some drab fall female yellow-rumps show a fairly plain grayish head and rather complete white eyering. 


Anyways, the shape and expression seem to best fit Chestnut-sided Warbler, as does the colour and pattern of the back, and the fact that the edges of the secondaries appear yellowish (much more so than the wingbars). It's just the streaking on the breast that calls it into question.

I still think that Blackpoll and Bay-breasted are possibilities given the variability that exists in their fall plumages, and the similiarities between the species.

Hopefully this weekend turns up more warblers.

Cheers

Matt Mills