ML621956480
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
Media notes
An adult Bell's Vireo, just after delivering food to a still-begging juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird. Vireo appears to be showing molt in the wing coverts.
Observation details
At least three--to as many as four--singing (apparently territorial) BEVIs was a bit unexpected (one more than I've ever had here). These were mostly heard in areas where territorial BEVIs have been present all summer so far [i.e., along the "Perimeter" Trail, roughly about 100 yards in from Park Ridge Drive; also along the perimeter trail close to where it comes out at Park View Drive (two males were actually encountered here); and one other along the east edge of the park, approximately in the area of the grove of Cedar Elms and Hackberry trees (across from where Park Trail Drive meets Park View)]. The two males heard singing at the same spot (just north of where the Perimeter Trail meets Park View Drive), was the first time this summer hearing two males in that area. In addition to as many as four singing males, a silent Bell's Vireo was seen along the Perimeter Trail, perhaps about 200 yards in from Park Ridge Drive; immediately noticed this bird was carrying food (something relatively large, either a large caterpillar or something similar). Ended up seeing the vireo fly into a nearby juniper where it was immediately met by a juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird, unfortunately, which quickly snatched up the food item offered by the vireo. I presume, as is generally the case with cowbird brood parasitism, that no vireo young managed to survive with that nesting attempt. Found it somewhat odd that no sounds (i.e., begging calls) were heard from the juvenile BHCO despite spending several minutes there watching the BEVI(s) make several food deliveries to the cowbird, which ended up remaining in the juniper. I recall many times, back in SoCal, hearing the fairly distinctive call of a begging juvenile BHCO, while conducting California Gnatcatcher or "Least" Bell's Vireo surveys/monitoring. I remember juvenile BHCO calls being fairly loud and raspy (not a pleasant sound at all). I think this is the first-time encountering brood parasitism in this nominate subspecies of BEVI. Photos to be attached.
Technical information
- Model
- DSC-RX10M4
- ISO
- 100
- Focal length
- 220 mm
- Flash
- Flash did not fire
- f-stop
- f/4.0
- Shutter speed
- 1/250 sec
- Dimensions
- 1995 pixels x 1366 pixels
- Original file size
- 513.58 KB