|
English
and Scientific names: |
Western
Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)
|
|
Number
of individuals: |
1 female-type bird, very similar to the "pale adult
female" in Sibley's Guide to North American Birds, but age unknown |
|
Locality:
LOUISIANA: |
Jefferson |
|
Specific
Locality: |
Grilleta Tract, Grand Isle |
|
Date(s)
when observed: |
22 December 2009 |
|
Time(s)
of day when observed: |
9:00am |
|
Reporting
observer and address: |
Erik I. Johnson |
|
Other observers
accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): |
Karl Mokross |
|
Other observers who
independently identified the bird(s) |
None known. David Muth reported a Western Tanager in
the area (by the cemetery) in November, but may have been a different bird.
He told me that he suspected his bird had some red/orange in the face
and had more yellow in the underparts, suggesting a basic-plumaged male -
thus a different individual. |
|
Light conditions
(position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): |
overcast; even light; well-lighted in the open mid-story
of the forest edge |
|
Optical
equipment: |
Swarovski 10x42 EL |
|
Distance
to bird(s): |
25m |
|
Duration
of observation: |
5 min |
|
Habitat:
|
coastal oak forest |
|
Behavior
of bird: |
foraging in hackberry; perch-gleaning fruit |
|
Description: |
Immediately the bulky size (relative to nearby
Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers)
made this bird jump out. I then saw the heavy pale bill and a two white
wing bars. The head and throat were all yellow and the undertail
coverts were contrastingly yellow against a pale grayish-white belly and
chest. The upperparts were dingy olive-gray and fairly uniform except
for the contrastingly white wing bars. It was clearly a tanager
(Piranga) by the shape of the bill and the wing bars were a good mark for
Western Tanager. Because both wing bars were white, this suggests a
female. According to Pyle (1997), there is a lot of variation within
sexes, such that it is probably not possible to age this bird without
examining molt limits and even then some birds cannot be reliably aged. |
|
Voice: |
not heard |
|
Similar species: |
Other yellowish tanagers do not have two white wing-bars
and never have I seen a Scarlet or Summer Tanager with such two-toned
underparts. The heavy-set bill was classic for a tanager (Piranga) and
unlike orioles (Ictera) while the bulky size eliminated other potentially
confusing yellow passerines like warblers and vireos. |
|
Photographs or tape
recordings obtained? |
yes, photographed by me |
|
Previous experience with
this species: |
only seen once before (a more yellow female-type in Kevin
Morgan's yard in Baton Rouge) several years back, but familiar with Scarlet
and Summer Tanagers in migration and on breeding grounds |
|
Identification
aids: |
Sibley's Guide to North American Birds soon after
observation; Pyle (1997) and Nat. Geog. 3rd Ed |
|
This
description is written from: |
memory |
|
Are you positive of your
identification? If not, explain: |
yes |
|
Date
and time: |
28 December 2009; 9:45pm |