LOUISIANA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

REPORT FORM

1. English and Scientific names: Green-tailed Towhee (Pipilo chlorurus)

2. Number of individuals, sexes, ages, general plumage (e.g., 2 in alternate plumage):

One bird in what appeared to be adult plumage; that is, it did not appear to be a first year bird in the limited views I attained.

3. Locality: LOUISIANA: Jefferson Davis Parish

Specific Locality: W. Niblett Road near the intersection with Clyde road; just to the west, where the road curves towards the north. The bird specifically was in a set of bushes at the west-most edge of the burned pines on the south side of the road.

4. Date(s) when observed:

6 November 2011

5. Time(s) of day when observed:

Bird was originally seen around 07:45; it was last seen at approximately 08:10.

6. Reporting observer and address:

Jacob Cooper

Louisiana State University

Baton Rouge, LA 70803

7. Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):

Kevin Morgan

8. Other observers who independently identified the bird(s):

Daniel F. Lane and his Field Guides trip

9. Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):

The light was decent on the bird, as it was slightly overcast so the bird was always in shadow, but never backlit. I got good views on the colors of the bird several times.

10. Optical equipment (type, power, condition):

Brunton 8x42 Lite Tech Elites (old, but still in good condition).

11. Distance to bird(s):

3 meters

12. Duration of observation:

1^st observation was 20s; 2^nd was 10s; 3^rd was 15s.

13. Habitat:

The bird was in a 5m stretch of brush under a canopy of burned pine trees adjacent to a clear cut and now overgrown field and near a patch of Longleaf Pine (not mature, more like a plantation) and some secondary deciduous forest across the street. The bird never left a small patch of brush under the burned pines during our observations.

14. Behavior of bird / circumstances of observation (flying, feeding, resting; include and stress habits used in identification; relate events surrounding observation):

The bird could be heard rummaging through the undergrowth with several White-throated Sparrows and Northern Cardinals (which also make ‘locking on’ to the bird difficult in their busy foraging) and was seen well the few times it popped up after Kevin played a tape for it. We thought we heard it’s soft contact calls a couple times (no mew calls given) and when seen, was once preening and twice just popping up, looking around, and dropping down again.

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):

Copied from my eBird checklist (http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S9066373) made the same day: “One bird, previously reported by Dan Lane. It was seen almost exactly at the spot the pin has been placed, and was where Lane described it on LABird to the letter. It never left a five meter long patch of brush on the south side of the road right where the turn began, and getting on it was difficult due to its silence, shyness and multiple cardinals in the vicinity. Originally spotted preening, where head was mainly visible with rusty crown appearing as it turned and twisted. Between the two of us we got three solid looks at the bird in the open, noting its greenish wings and tail, largely grey body and white facial markings.”

It was a classic Green-tailed Towhee, and we were able to see the greenish tail and wings well, grey body, distinctive rusty-crown (especially while preening) and had a white malar stripe and throat. It was about the size of the Cardinals that were in the same patch of brush.

16. Voice:

Not heard definitively; if it did call, it was doing an call a don’t normally associate with GTTO; a sharper, higher contact call. For the most part it appeared silent and shy.

17. Similar species (include how they were eliminated by your observation):

Size eliminates almost all sparrows except larger Zonotrichia, Pipilo and Melozone in North America. The rusty crown, larger size and uniformly greyish body eliminate White-throated Sparrow and any Melozone towhee from the list of possibilities. The size, shape, and distinct coloration confirm that it is a Pipilo that is not an Eastern or Spotted Towhee. This is a relatively distinct bird, especially when seen in the context in which it was seen. All field marks were distinct and visible.

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

Photographs were obtained by Daniel F. Lane, and can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8013969@N03/6313616557/

19. Previous experience with this species:

Being from Western Colorado originally, I have had a lot of experience with Green-tailed Towhees both in their montane breeding habitats and in their migration through riparian and less ideal habitats. In 2011, I saw them in four other locations – two in Arizona, one in Montana, and one in Colorado.

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

a. at time of observation:

Sibley Guide to Birds, National Geographic Field Guide

b. after observation:

Same as above; photographs by Daniel F. Lane were attached to eBird report.

21. This description is written from: _____ notes made during the observation (_ notes attached?); X notes made after the observation (date: same day); X memory.

22. Are you positive of your identification if not, explain:

Yes.

23. Signature of reporter: Jacob C. Cooper Date:_8 November 2011__Time:__21:16_

24. May the LBRC have permission to display this report or
portions of this report on its website? Yes.

If yes, may we include your name with the report? Yes.

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