ML619289348

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Continuing hotline bird. Smallish flycatcher, roughly Eastern Phoebe size, but without other nearby birds for direct comparison. Rather stout, big-headed, heavy bodied, and medium-tailed. Head with two strong dark horizontal lines, one through the eye and one malar, on a lighter background. Crown may have been dark, as well, but I didn't pay close attention. Bill relatively small, unlike any North American flycatcher, black. Others reported seeing some light at the base of the lower mandible; I did not get that good a look. Upperparts brownish. Light was a bit harsh to make out much detail. Underparts were pale yellow-cream, not white, but not the yellow of a Couch's kingbird or a kiskadee. Breast and flanks streaked with fine brown streaks, leaving a narrow clear area in the center of the breast and on the belly. Tail above slightly ruddy, squarish. Undertail more brownish? Very actively flycatching. Did not stay in one spot for more than about a minute, but clearly had favorite perches to which it would return. Generally preferred the tops of bushes or trees at mid- to top level of canopy, but occasionally would land within canopy, as it was when we first arrived. Under observation more or less continuously for nearly 20 minutes and was still present when we left. No vocalizations attributable to the bird were heard. Neville is very familiar with the bird from multiple trips to Ecuador and a 2003 bird in DeBaca County, New Mexico.

Technical information

Model

DC-FZ80

ISO

80

Focal length

215 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/8.0

Shutter speed

1/125 sec

Dimensions

4896 pixels x 3672 pixels

Original file size

9.17 MB