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English and Scientific names: |
Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii)
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Number of individuals: |
1 female |
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Locality: LOUISIANA: |
Orleans |
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Specific Locality: |
Leslee Reed's residence on Constance St. |
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Date(s) when observed: |
February 5, 2006 |
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Time(s) of day when
observed: |
8:30-9:30 a.m. |
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Reporting observer and address: |
Phillip Wallace New Orleans, LA 70125 |
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Other observers accompanying reporter who independently
identified the bird(s): |
Leslee regularly has
Baltimore and Bullock's Orioles coming to her feeders and reported that she
had Bullock's this winter. |
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Light
conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount
of light): |
Good. Bright, early
morning light. |
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Optical equipment: |
Zeiss 10x40 bins |
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Distance to
bird(s): |
15 yards |
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Duration of
observation: |
3-4 minutes |
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Habitat: |
Backyard lushly planted for hummingbirds. Sycamores, hackberry, and other trees were in the yard and area. There was much cover for birds. |
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Behavior of bird: |
Feeding at the hummingbird feeders, fighting with other orioles, and hiding in the bushes. |
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Description: |
A medium sized bird with a long, thin, slightly decurved bill. The bird was strikingly pale grey, whitish, and yellow. The head and upper breast were pale yellow. The throat was whitish. The back was pale grey. The face had a dark eyeline and a yellow supercilium. The breast and belly were pale whitish grey. The undertail coverts and the rump were pale grey.The wings were darker gray than the back, almost black. There was one white wingbar formed by the tips of the median coverts. The greater coverts were broadly edged with white. The crown was greyish olive. |
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Voice: |
None. |
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Similar
species: |
Distinguishing female
Bullock's from Baltimores is far from trivial, but this idividual seems to be
a classic Bullock's. Female Baltimore does not show as much yellow on the
face, especially on the check and supercilium. They seem to have darker tones
to the head, mimicking the pattern of the adult male. Although some female
Baltimores have pale bellies, they tend not to be as extensively pale below
as this bird, and the yellow usually comes down farther on the breast than on
this bird. Greyish undertail coverts and rump favor Bullock's. The back of
the Baltimore is usually darker with conspicuous black centers to the
feathers. |
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Photographs
or tape recordings obtained? |
Stills grabbed from video accompany this report. Videotape will be submitted to the LBRC. |
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Previous
experience with this species: |
I've seen several Bullock's in LA and out west. I've also compared specimens of female Bullock's and Baltimores at LSUMZ. |
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Identification aids: |
after observation: Pyle and articles in "Birding" plus notes taken from examination of specimens at LSUMZ. |
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This description is written from: |
Memory and video. |
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Are
you positive of your identification? If not, explain: |
I'm as positive as one can be with female Bullock's. |
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Reporter: |
Phillip Wallace
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Date and time: |
February 11, 2006 |