ML546324111

Age

Not specified

Sex

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Tags

Field notes/sketch

Media notes

I realise this is a composite that goes against standards for image uploads, but I think there are important insights here that warrant the composite. As we arrived at this spot, a call was heard - close to the road - that matched the Morcombe app call #1 ("AM song") for Red-lored Whistler (recordings taken). The bird, however, would not show, despite some judicious use of playback. It appeared briefly on the far side of a dense shrub, back-lit, and was photographed per left panel in this composite. It was a full 25 minutes later that we finally saw a bird again that we believed had been calling - as photographed in the right frame - but by this stage the call matching Red-lored had ceased for some time and the bird had been quiet. Soon after this photograph, the bird called again, but this time matched the call for Gilbert's Whistler (call #1 "AM - song", same app) - a much faster pace than when we'd arrived. It was difficult to tell whether we'd heard Red-lored initially, that bird then leaving and a Gilbert's arriving, or whether the initial bird was a Gilbert's giving a call matching Red-lored (assuming, by the way, that the app has the call correctly identified). Ultimately I believe the profile of the bill in the first shot fairly matches the Gilbert's shown in the second shot and therefore *probably* a Gilbert's Whistler has mimicked the Red-lored call. Local eBird moderators informed me that the two species are known to mimic each other, after I submitted a record for Red-lored on the basis of call in a prior year - but I can find no documentation that makes this assertion or presents evidence for it. Hence our observations today are as close as I've come to making this observation for myself - at least that Gilbert's can mimic Red-lored (and assuming the app has the calls correctly identified). It would make a good project to study the calls of these birds more thoroughly. Image tagged as "field notes/sketch",

Observation details

Initially heard calling with a call matching the Morcombe app for Red-lored (call #1), but I am satisfied it was Gilbert’s calling. It’s taken a while to figure this out. However, it means I’ve come to the conclusion that Gilbert’s and Red-lored cannot be discerned on the basis of call; the birds must be seen. Alternatively, we might question how reliably the Morcombe app calls have been identified.

Technical information

Dimensions

1094 pixels x 511 pixels

Original file size

108.94 KB