|
English
and Scientific names: |
Western
Tanager (Piranga
ludoviciana)
|
|
Number
of individuals: |
1 basic plumage |
|
Locality:
LOUISIANA: |
Iberville |
|
Specific
Locality: |
3.7 mi. N St. Gabriel, 545 Pecan Dr. |
|
Date(s)
when observed: |
27 December 2008 |
|
Time(s)
of day when observed: |
|
|
Reporting
observer and address: |
Van Remsen, St. Gabriel |
|
Other observers
accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): |
|
|
Other observers who
independently identified the bird(s) |
|
|
Light conditions
(position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): |
excellent |
|
Optical
equipment: |
naked eye plus 10X Zeiss |
|
Distance
to bird(s): |
12-15 feet |
|
Duration
of observation: |
1 minute |
|
Habitat:
|
next to bird feeder in garden in bottomland hardwood
forest |
|
Behavior
of bird: |
Perched next to bird feeder clearly studying the
situation (cardinals, House Finches feeding on sunflower seed). Bird
seemed tempted to land on feeder but did not. When the bird flew up
into the trees, I dashed outside but could not refind the bird |
|
Description: |
Naked eye impression was vaguely like a giant goldfinch
-- an overall greenish yellow bird with two conspicuous wingbars. An
obvious Piranga in terms of overall size, shape, bill shape (thick but not
grosbeak-thick), and gestalt. Greenish above, evenly yellowish green
below; no conspicuous head markings but the chin and base of lower mandible
were a faint, smudgy, orangish-yellow. Wings were a dark greenish olive
with two narrow but conspicuous whitish wingbars. |
|
Voice: |
silent |
|
Similar species: |
vs. Summer: besides wingbars, overall shape and
bill size more delicate; overall plumage too greenish. |
|
Photographs or tape
recordings obtained? |
|
|
Previous experience with
this species: |
Little experience in last 30 years, but this was a
species I "grew up" with. |
|
Identification
aids: |
none |
|
This
description is written from: |
field notes taken soon after observation (used to write
this report) |
|
Are you positive of your
identification? If not, explain: |
yes |
|
Reporter:
|
Van Remsen
|
|
Date
and time: |
5/06/2009 |