ML119939961

Age and sex

Unknown age, Unknown sex - X

Observation details

Female-type reported earlier in the morning by Nick Pederson. Heard giving sharp noisy "pik" call note and seen at the top of a tree near the feeder in the cactus garden. Much darker saturated nutmeg coloration overall (as compared to a House Finch). Heavy streaking on either flank and across the breast. Dark crown, auriculars, and malar (extending into the throat) which contrast sharply with the whitish supercilium and stripe below the auricular (and above the malar). Dusky colored bill with curved culmen making the bill appear relatively stubby. Longish tail with a distinctively notched tip. The dark coloration suggests Purple Finch rather than Cassin's or House Finch. The slightly blurred borders of the thick flank and breast streaks also suggests Purple rather than Cassin's Finch, the latter typically showing much crisper borders. Call note is unlike that typically given by either a House Finch or Cassin's Finch. Structure of the bill (curved culmen) is quite unlike the distinctive heavy conical shaped bill of a Cassin's Finch, and though the House Finch can show a more "stubby" looked bill than a Cassin's, I've never seen a House Finch with a bill this stubby or a culmen so exaggeratedly curved.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 40D

ISO

1600

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/8000 sec

Dimensions

1898 pixels x 1265 pixels

Original file size

401.72 KB