ML510521571

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

**MEGA** This “yellow-bellied” kingbird discovered yesterday and initially called a Western Kingbird, was refound this morning and based on structure and call was identified as a Tropical Kingbird. I saw the bird, along with about 10-15 others, between 1515-1600 in 62 degrees, with clear, sunny skies. The bird was heard giving it’s rapid, slightly musical, dry trill and then located as it flew to an open snag. It was an obvious kingbird, bright yellow below which extended from the upper chest to the undertail coverts. The throat was grayish-white. The back appeared dark and when seen in good light it was mostly grayish-green. The head was a darker gray with lighter gray in the nape. The wings were greenish-brown with a large amount of buffy color to the feather edges. The tail was brown, slightly notched without any white outer tail feathers. The bill was black and large. Separation from similar species: Of course, Couch’s Kingbird is the species that needs to be reliably eliminated not only because it is similar in structure and behavior, but recently there have been a few vagrant records in the east, including a bird in MD not far from the PA border. I think the separation of these two species is reasonably accomplished first by the trilling call of this bird as compared to the Couch’s “breeer” call or the “kip-breer” call and second the bill size. I’ve only seen maybe 20-25 Couch’s in my life so I’m not drawing from a huge sample but I don’t recall Couch’s having a bill as long as this kingbird. To me, Couch’s bill seems shorter and thicker than Tropical. Cassin’s Kingbird also needs to be eliminated. There are scant few documented Cassin’s in the east, but they have occurred. The Peach Bottom kingbird does not show the pronounced very dark gray head, upper back and chest of a Cassin’s. The bird also lacks the small whitish throat noted on a Cassin’s. Also, Cassin’s call is not at all similar to Tropical. Western Kingbird is the expected vagrant kingbird in the east in late Fall so it also needs to be ruled out. The Peach Bottom Kingbird had a brown tail as opposed to the black tail of a Western and the tail also lacked the white outer tail feathers that helps to identify Western Kingbird. Once again, the call, though similar in structure to a Tropical is a “squeaky trill” to me. Thick-billed Kingbird, a remote possibility at best, is easily identified by it’s huge, thick bill, larger size and different call. Gray and Eastern Kingbirds can be eliminated by presence of the bright yellow underparts. Myiarchus Flycatchers can be eliminated because they a slimmer structure and nearly all have a longer tail that is usually rusty or rusty-brown colored and have a more restricted area of yellow on the underparts. Immature Eastern Phoebes can be yellow below but it is usually a yellow wash never this bright yellow and the bird is smaller in size and structure. Of course, the call is different.

Technical information

Dimensions

2000 pixels x 1356 pixels

Original file size

1.09 MB