warrech
Quiz #16 (answered)
Quiz #16 06/23/08 – 07/06/08
This week’s quiz is a rather poor shot in low light. Despite this we can see some very bold field marks, mainly yellow underparts and a dark black throat. With such bright colors in this combination certainly the New World warblers and perhaps a few orioles come to mind, but little else. In terms of the orioles only really Hooded and young male Orchard Orioles could fit this bird due to the extent of the black bib and the fact that we can see some yellow feathers on the side of the face telling us that this bird does not have a totally black head as in Baltimore, for example. We can eliminate both probably by tail length and shape alone but, more definitively by foot color, being grayish blue in the orioles and pink in the quiz bird.
In terms of black bibbed, yellow warblers we have a few somewhat unexpected group of birds. In terms of full species Hooded, Bachman’s and Townsend’s are really the only three. But we must also consider Hermit x Townsend hybrids as well as Blue-winged x Golden-winged Warbler hybrids, specifically Lawrence’s Warbler. MacGillivray’s Warbler was guessed but can be eliminated, along with Mourning, by the yellow on the sides of the face and the jet black throat instead of a mottled looking throat. Not a bad guess though, as many other plumage characteristics fit nicely. (See tail pattern discussion below as well.) Townsend’s can be eliminated by the lack of black streaks down the flanks and upper breast. However, one could argue that a combination of Hermit (who’s bib matches quite well) and Townsend’s (which has yellow underparts) could fit well. To eliminate others we have to look at the undertail coverts (which are in slight shadow) and tail pattern (which is somewhat out of focus.) Even though both Lawrence’s and Bachman’s are nearly spot-on in terms of other plumage considerations both have/had white or whitish undertail coverts and bold subterminal black bars on the rectrices (tail feathers) neither of which are present. Plus, like last quiz’s inclusion of Ivory-billed Woodpecker, I likely would not be writing this if I had taking a picture of a Bachman’s Warbler because I would have suffered a massive heart-attack from the shock. The same eliminating features are true for both Hermit and Townsend’s Warblers and subsequent hybrids. So we are left with Hooded Warbler and, indeed when we look at the tail pattern of this species with the broad nearly completely white outer rectrices, it’s a match.
I took this shot of a singing male HOODED WARBLER in Olmsted Township, Ohio (west of Cleveland) on a recent trip. I have included another, much better
shot of this guy. Low numbers of answers this time. Not a complaint just an observation. I always find this part of the quiz very interesting. Maybe this was a difficult one? Or maybe people are spending more time outside!
Answer Breakdown:
MacGillivray’s Warbler – 1
Hooded Warbler – 1
ANSWER:
HOODED WARBLER
CONGRATULATIONS:
Larry McQueen
Quiz #16 (answered)
Quiz #16 06/23/08 – 07/06/08
This week’s quiz is a rather poor shot in low light. Despite this we can see some very bold field marks, mainly yellow underparts and a dark black throat. With such bright colors in this combination certainly the New World warblers and perhaps a few orioles come to mind, but little else. In terms of the orioles only really Hooded and young male Orchard Orioles could fit this bird due to the extent of the black bib and the fact that we can see some yellow feathers on the side of the face telling us that this bird does not have a totally black head as in Baltimore, for example. We can eliminate both probably by tail length and shape alone but, more definitively by foot color, being grayish blue in the orioles and pink in the quiz bird.
In terms of black bibbed, yellow warblers we have a few somewhat unexpected group of birds. In terms of full species Hooded, Bachman’s and Townsend’s are really the only three. But we must also consider Hermit x Townsend hybrids as well as Blue-winged x Golden-winged Warbler hybrids, specifically Lawrence’s Warbler. MacGillivray’s Warbler was guessed but can be eliminated, along with Mourning, by the yellow on the sides of the face and the jet black throat instead of a mottled looking throat. Not a bad guess though, as many other plumage characteristics fit nicely. (See tail pattern discussion below as well.) Townsend’s can be eliminated by the lack of black streaks down the flanks and upper breast. However, one could argue that a combination of Hermit (who’s bib matches quite well) and Townsend’s (which has yellow underparts) could fit well. To eliminate others we have to look at the undertail coverts (which are in slight shadow) and tail pattern (which is somewhat out of focus.) Even though both Lawrence’s and Bachman’s are nearly spot-on in terms of other plumage considerations both have/had white or whitish undertail coverts and bold subterminal black bars on the rectrices (tail feathers) neither of which are present. Plus, like last quiz’s inclusion of Ivory-billed Woodpecker, I likely would not be writing this if I had taking a picture of a Bachman’s Warbler because I would have suffered a massive heart-attack from the shock. The same eliminating features are true for both Hermit and Townsend’s Warblers and subsequent hybrids. So we are left with Hooded Warbler and, indeed when we look at the tail pattern of this species with the broad nearly completely white outer rectrices, it’s a match.
I took this shot of a singing male HOODED WARBLER in Olmsted Township, Ohio (west of Cleveland) on a recent trip. I have included another, much better
shot of this guy. Low numbers of answers this time. Not a complaint just an observation. I always find this part of the quiz very interesting. Maybe this was a difficult one? Or maybe people are spending more time outside!
Answer Breakdown:
MacGillivray’s Warbler – 1
Hooded Warbler – 1
ANSWER:
HOODED WARBLER
CONGRATULATIONS:
Larry McQueen