LOUISIANA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

REPORT FORM

1. English and Scientific names: Cassin’s Kingbird (Tyrannus vociferans)

2. Number of individuals, sexes, ages, general plumage (e.g., 2 in alternate plumage): 1 in 1^st Formative Plumage (sensu Howell et al. 2003); inner 4 or 5 greater coverts replaced, but outer greater coverts retained.

3. Locality: Parish: St. Mary

Specific Locality: Ewing Cemetery, Cypremort Point, LA-319, 18.9 km S Lydia

4. Date(s) when observed: 18 Nov 2009

5. Time(s) of day when observed: 8:40am

6. Reporting observer and address: Erik I. Johnson, Lafayette, LA 70508

7. Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): none

8. Other observers who independently identified the bird(s): none

9. Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): sunny, various angles, but mostly sun to back or over shoulder

10. Optical equipment (type, power, condition): 10 x 42 Swarovski EL binoculars; Nikon D100 digital SLR with 80-400 mm ED Nikon lens

11. Distance to bird(s): 20+ feet

12. Duration of observation: 10 min

13. Habitat: yard along 2-lane road sandwiched between wet lowland live oak/palmetto forest

14. Behavior of bird / circumstances of observation (flying, feeding, resting; include and stress habits used in identification; relate events surrounding observation): perched on electric wire, foraging by sally and sally-pouncing.

15. Description (include only what was actually seen, not what "should" have been seen; include if possible: total length/relative size compared to other familiar species, body bulk, shape, proportions, bill, eye, leg, and plumage characteristics. Stress features that separate it from similar species): white “streak” from chin to under eye contrasting against gray throat and chest; white tip to tail; small bill for a Tyrannus.

16. Voice: not heard

17. Similar species (include how they were eliminated by your observation): Only likely confused with Western Kingbird, especially given white edging to R6. The white tip to rectrices and contrastingly white chin streak against a gray chest should eliminate Western. From other long-shot vagrants, like White-throated and Thick-billed Kingbird by much darker throat, small bill, and tail pattern. From Tropical and Couch’s Kingbird by blackish (not brownish) tail and small bill.

I cannot find any literature on Cassin’s x Western hybrids (e.g., Pyle 1997, BNA account) even though Cassin’s can apparently nest in the same tree with Western (BNA); McCarthy (2006) reports a possible Cassin’s hybrid with Eastern Kingbird from Delaware in July 2000. Western Kingbird is suspected or known to hybridize with Eastern Kingbird and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, but neither combination would be expected to produce something like the bird of interest here. In summary, the only potential hybrid combination would be Western x Cassin’s, for which I cannot locate any documentation.

18. Photographs or tape recordings obtained? (by whom? attached?): Yes, EIJ:

19. Previous experience with this species: I saw large numbers over a few days 4 years earlier (2005) in California. I have slightly more recent experience with Westerns, but never in numbers. To be fair, I am not particularly experienced with either species.

20. Identification aids: (list books, illustrations, other birders, etc. used in identification):

a. at time of observation: I don’t recall.

b. after observation: Sibley Guide to North American Birds, Kaufmann Guide, Nat. Geographic 3^rd Ed., Pyle Guide (1997), Birds of North America account (Tweit and Tweit 2000), Handbook of Avian Hybrids of the World (McCarthy 2006), Google image search, ID-Frontiers discussion (26 Nov 2011).

21. This description is written from: _____ notes made during the observation (_____notes attached?);__X__notes made after the observation (date: 5 Dec 2011); __X__memory.

22. Are you positive of your identification if not, explain: Not really. The bird in question had me puzzled at the time, but I had passed the bird off as a Western Kingbird given the white edging to R6. A recent discussion on the ID-Frontiers list serve caused me to re-evaluate old “yellow-bellied” kingbird photos I had taken. Joseph Morlan of California and Van Remsen both feel this bird looks good for a Cassin’s.

23. Date: 5 Dec 2011 Time: 9:40pm