LOUISIANA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

REPORT FORM

1. English and Scientific names: Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus)

2. Number of individuals, sexes, ages, general plumage (e.g., 2 in alternate plumage): 1 adult

3. Locality: Parish: Cameron

Specific Locality: Along Hwy 82 very near the entrance to Peveto

4. Date(s) when observed: 12 May 2013

5. Time(s) of day when observed: 10:15-10:30 am

6. Reporting observer and address: Phillip Wallace

4515 S. Prieur St.

New Orleans, LA 70125

7. Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): Discovered by Dan O’Malley; seen by Paul Conover, David Muth, Mac Myers, Dave Patton, Dan Purrington

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

9. Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): Good; sun behind observers

10. Optical equipment (type, power, condition): Eagle 10x40 binoculars

11. Distance to bird(s): 15 m

12. Duration of observation: 15 minutes

13. Habitat: On barbed wire fence at edge of pasture and road; flew into top of a large Live Oak

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

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): Yellow-bellied kingbird, with bright yellow extending up to the top of the breast where it blends into greenish-gray band; gray head with dark mask; mantle gray with some olive tones; very long and deep black bill; deeply notched brown tail; brownish wings; on spread wing, P10 appears shorter than P5.

16. Voice: None; did not respond to recordings of TRKI or COKI

17. Similar species (include how they were eliminated by your observation): Extent of yellow, tail color, and bill size narrow the ID to Tropical or Couch’s; Couch’s possibly eliminated by relative length of P10 and P5; bill size and shape point to Tropical rather than Couch’s.

18. Photographs or tape recordings obtained? (by whom? attached?): Photographs by Wallace at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5srfe2v1917tssh/RuyHMSheLK

19. Previous experience with this species: I’ve seen several Tropical/Couch’s in LA; I’ve seen Couch’s on several trips to TX and a couple of times in LA; I’ve seen Tropical in LA, AZ, and the tropics.

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

a. at time of observation: None

b. after observation: None

21. This description is written from: x notes made during the observation and from photos

22. Are you positive of your identification if not, explain: I’m positive it’s a Tropical/Couch’s, but I’m not positive the photos of the spread wing accurately portray the relative length of P10 and P5, eliminating Couch’s.

23. Date:19 May 2013 Time: 5:15 pm