ML399061091
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
- Behaviors
- Flying; Foraging or eating
Observation details
This bird was found and identified by Loren Merrill 3 December. There was a mass of washed up seaweed in the southern end of a small cove here across from Lily Pond, and the kingbird spent most of its time feeding on an abundance of kelp flies (presumably Coelopa frigida). As I arrived, I was surprised to hear the jittering, buzzing call of Gray Kingbird (similar but lower than Tropical Kingbird). Flying down the shore close by was a Merlin, which dived below the boulder border to the road. The reason for the kingbird's alarm was apparent, but I could not see what was happening over the boulders. The kingbird suddenly erupted over the road and flew into the area of homes across the road. A single white feather floated up and out of my reach as I watched the Merlin continue south. If I had seen and heard only this, it would have been difficult to identify the bird. Fortunately the kingbird returned to the wracked kelp bed and was confiding for the rest of my visit. I was able to study the bird in detail through my scope. This was a medium large flycatcher with a heavy black bill and rather prominent black eye patch. The crown to back were pale gray with a very slight brown tinge. The wings and tail were dark brown, and I could see pale buff tips to the primary coverts. The tail was notched, but also ragged. The underparts were whitish, with a wash of very pale gray across the breast. In the gray, overcast lighting, I could see a pale lemon wash or tinge to the underwing as the bird sallied or hovered briefly. The bill was heavy, long and deep. There was a small area of yellow at the gape. The legs were short and slaty or dark gray. The eyes were dark, perhaps dark brown. This bird spent its time scarfing up kelp flies, which would literally dribble off the rock surfaces which they were coating. A few times, the kingbird would forage on the decaying kelp, but mostly it perched on the rocks or a few wooden boards that stuck out here and there. Ring-billed Gulls were foraging on the decaying kelp and presumably able to dig deep for the larvae and eggs of the flies as well as other invertebrates present. A Northern Mockingbird held court across the street, but it would occasionally chase and engage the kingbird. In the afternoon when I returned here with Fyn Kynd, we saw the kingbird and mockingbird tumble and clasp at each other in mid air. The kingbird would occasionally visit the nearby yards. I saw it preen a few times. While on the rocks, the kingbird drooped and sagged its wings. This seemed to be a sign of poor condition. While they might occasionally do this in the manner of a thrush, this bird appeared fatigued. The wing coverts, tail and primary patterns suggested this was a bird largely or completely in juvenile plumage. Examining photos, I could see that the outermost primary matched the generic shape of a juvenile. There did not appear to be any notch (significant narrowing) on the tip of the inner web of P10. The shape of this web would be helpful to sex the bird if an adult, but I am not sure it is safely sexed based on the shape I see in photos. This is unlike some Tyrannus where juvenile males do show a significant notch on the inner web of the outer primary. One of my photos seems to suggest that a single rectrix (R2?) was fresh, but in other photos, the feather is not clearly fresh and is worn. I suspect this was variation in fading or wear. I was unable to note any molt in the wing coverts, which would be expected given the migratory populations of this species do not begin post-juvenile molt until they reach the winter grounds. This bird represents the third well documented record of Gray Kingbird in Maine, all in fall. There are, however, two other reports: (1) Moosehorn NWR, Baring Division near Calais, Washington Co., 3 October 2007. This was published in North American Birds 62(1):42 with the following: “A Gray Kingbird far Down East in Calais, Washington, ME 3 Oct no doubt surprised a visiting Texas birder; it was seen later that day by two Moosehorn N.W.R. biologists but not subsequently relocated (M. Mills)." This report is in eBird as accepted, but it has not been reviewed by the Maine Bird Records Committee. The details and descriptions are not in our archives. (2) near Stonington on Deer Isle, Hancock County, 14 September 1938 (published by Sprunt in Bent 1942, pages 47-48.) The details of this report were reviewed and not accepted by the Maine Bird Records Committee mainly because it was said to involve two birds, which seems highly unlikely (Bevier 2017). That said, the description is very good for Gray Kingbird as opposed to Western Kingbird. In particular, the observer, Martin Curtler, said: "At first thought the single one I saw was a shrike, being pale gray, with a dark line through the eye." He also noted pale yellow on the underwings (and notably did not say the underparts were yellow). The observer was experienced and known to Alexander Sprunt, Jr., who wrote the account and relayed the written notes. Although this was debated and not accepted, I think it is probable the 1938 sighting involved Gray Kingbird. Records of Gray Kingbird vagrancy were summarized as of 2003 by Armistead and Iliff (Armistead, G. L., and M. J. Iliff. 2003. The vagrancy of Gray Kingbird in North America. North American Birds 57(2):148-161.)
Technical information
- Camera
- Microphone
- Accessories
- Original file size
- 71.83 MB