|
English
and Scientific names: |
Couch's
Kingbird (Tyrannus couchii)
|
|
Number
of individuals: |
1 adult, presumed male in undetermined plumage |
|
Locality:
LOUISIANA: |
Lafayette |
|
Specific
Locality: |
Judice Park, Judice |
|
Date(s)
when observed: |
31 December 2009 |
|
Time(s)
of day when observed: |
ca. 4:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. |
|
Reporting
observer and address: |
James W. Beck |
|
Other observers
accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): |
Ellen Beck |
|
Other observers who independently
identified the bird(s) |
Kevin Leigh, Mike Musumeche, Paul Conover, Devin &
Justin Bosler |
|
Light conditions
(position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): |
Sun had just come out from a mostly overcast sky, and was
in the process of setting. The bird was actively working a tree line
north-south, thus the lighting varied from being a back-lit subject to the
sun shining directly on the bird. |
|
Optical
equipment: |
Swarovski 10x42 EL binoculars |
|
Distance
to bird(s): |
varying from ca. 10 meters to 25 meters |
|
Duration
of observation: |
ca. 45 minutes |
|
Habitat:
|
suburban recreational park with a coulee running
north-south with a treeline consisting predominately of Live Oak, Chinese
Tallow & Sugarberry. Most trees were mostly live in vigor, with a
significant amount of snags in partially live trees & some mostly dead or
dying trees. The bird seemed to prefer a couple of dead tallow snags with
lichen. |
|
Behavior
of bird: |
Bird originally was spotted perched atop of a dead tallow
snag, periodically sallying out to capture avian arthropod prey items. A
vocal recording was used 4-5 times to entice the bird one way or another to
react. The bird immediately responded with a series of single calls, followed
with several full song productions. |
|
Description: |
Medium-sized tyrant flycatcher with ashy gray head,
lighter chin & dark eye/auricular patch. Bill black and fairly thick and
ca. 1/2 length of head. Upper chest down to lower belly bright lemon-yellow.
Back greenish with dark wings & tail. Tail significantly notched, with
outer three retrices being light underneath while spread, central retrices
dark underneath. Undertail coverts yellow. |
|
Voice: |
A clear whistled "chew-it, chew-it, chewee-chew" |
|
Similar species: |
Other yellow-bellied flycatchers were eliminated
definitively by voice. Western Kingbird also eliminated by bill
size/thickness as well as lack of white outer retrices. Cassin's eliminated
by bill size/shape and voice. Tropical eliminated by voice. |
|
Photographs or tape
recordings obtained? |
Bird was photographed with Kodak EasyShare Z1015 IS
digital camera, video-recorded (with audio) with same camera &
video-taped (with audio) with Sony digital HandyCam. |
|
Previous experience with
this species: |
I have seen this species on trips to the Lower Rio Grande
Valley in south Texas in 1997, 1999 & 2000. |
|
Identification
aids: |
No guides used identification; identification was made
based on memory & confirmation of voice. |
|
This
description is written from: |
Memory. |
|
Are you positive of your
identification? If not, explain: |
Yes. |
|
Date
and time: |
4 January 2010, 8:38 a.m. |