[CT Birds] Mystery Kingbird Revealed (Brian Kleinman)

[Clay Taylor]

Hi Brian -

This thread is a lot of fun, if for nothing else than letting birders know
1) what's happened before in CT, 2) things to look for while in the field,
and 3) how tricky it can be to reconcile field IDs vs. field photographs and
attain a "definitive" identification.

The pitfalls of bird photography start with the white balance (digital) or
color balance (film type - Kodak, Fuji, etc.) of the recording media, and
then extend to the lighting of the scene, time of day, the angle of the
light to the subject, etc.     That's why I virtually NEVER interpret the
colors / color balance of an unknown photograph as "gospel".    Image
details, shape, structure, etc., are absolute and measurable if distance,
angle of view, and the magnification of the imaging system are taken into
account, but quantifying color balance is VERY tricky - even if the
photographer chooses to shoot digitally in RAW mode.    In point of fact,
the only time a photograph's color balance can be precisely known is IF
there is an object of known color temperature (a MacBeth Color Checker card
or an 18% gray card) included in the photo.   It's tough getting the bird to
sit still while you position that darned card right under its butt!

Looking at the general aspects of the image, with the blue skies and the
bird being backlit, I would expect the yellow to be minimized, but hopefully
there is still some that can be resurrected.   I'm not knowledgeable enough
with using a slide scanner to make sure that what-you-see-is-what-you-get on
the scan, but if the slide visually shows any hint of yellow, it might be a
good idea to try another scan.

I actually would like to have the banding guys analyze the wing / tail
feathers for age and possible species differences - that might be the best
(only?) way to prove whether the bird is indeed a hybrid.
Can you post a copy of the full wing / tail photo?

Clay Taylor
Moodus, CT
ctaylor at att.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <snaketat at cox.net>
To: "CT BIRDS" <ctbirds at lists.ctbirding.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 8:33 AM
Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Mystery Kingbird Revealed (Brian Kleinman)


> Sorry the slide scan is not that great.  It was scanned at 1200 dpi (which
is as high as my scanner goes), also if I recall I was using 400 speed film
which can make the photo a little grainy.  If anyone would like a copy of
the original to study I would be glad to send you one.
>
> Now, from memory I recall the Kingbird being very yellow, more so than the
photo shows.  I've raised Eastern Kingbirds at Roaring Brook Nature Center
and they never had any yellow on their bellies to the extant of this bird.
As I mentioned before I was never satisfied with final ID of this bird.  I
researched the hybridization of WEKI/EAKI and could not find much
documentation.  I found this interesting article:
>
>
http://naturestuff.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=29
>
> This bird was also hanging out with a small flock of EAKI's.
>
> Brian
>
>
> Hi all -
>
> To clarify my earlier post - I did not see any hint of yellow on my laptop
> monitor, but the accuracy of the slide scan could also contribute to that.
> Hence my comments.   Since it sounds like the people that saw the bird are
> all in agreement that it showed noticeable yellow underneath, I accept
that
> as evidence that it was indeed an "unusual" kingbird, and definitely not a
> normal Eastern.    I have never seen a "yellowish" Eastern, nor have I
seen
> a photo of one.
>
> IF an hypothetical WEKI / EAKI hybrid were to show up in CT, mid to late
> August is as good a time as any fall date - I saw my only CT Yellow-headed
> BB at Hammo in August, and banded a Loggerhead Shrike at Hammo in August.
>
> I don't have any decent WEKI photos with me, so I was trying to see if
there
> was any difference in primary extension between EAKI and WEKI, Cassin's,
> Couch's, etc.   The Mystery Bird clearly has the primary tips just
reaching
> the end of the undertail coverts, and my Cassin's Kingbird photos from CA
> seem to show that the primaries extend just a little past the UTC, but it
is
> REALLY close.
>
> A second note to the guys with up-to-date Banding Manuals - are there
> differences in primary feather formulae between EAKI / WEKI / etc?    The
> full image of the open wing shot should be sufficient to show any
> differences, and also whether the bird is an adult or immature (usually
> immies have differently-shaped primaries than do adults of the same
> species).
>
> Clay Taylor
> Moodus, CT
> ctaylor at att.net
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "James P. Smith" <keenbirder at yahoo.com>
> To: <snaketat at cox.net>; <ctbirds at lists.ctbirding.org>
> Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 6:41 PM
> Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Mystery Kingbird Revealed (Brian Kleinman)
>
>
> > Greetings CT birders,
> >
> > I haven't followed all of this discussion but if I understand correctly
> this an identification challenge concerning a kingbird that wasn't seen
well
> in the field, but identified at a later date from one or two images on
> slides?
> >
> > I'm quite intrigued by the conclusions drawn about this bird and have a
> couple of questions.
> >
> > 1) Where are the Western Kingbird characteristics shown in the images?
> >
> > 2) I'm not aware that hybridization in kingbirds is a particularly
common
> event. So what are the odds of photographing a kingbird very briefly in
> mid-August in Connecticut and finding out later that is actually from a
> hybrid pairing? This seems like an  exceptional circumstance to me and
> perhaps requiring more exceptional evidence. I was wondering if there was
> any additional material that would point to this bird being from a hybrid
> pair?
> >
> > I'm actually in agreement with Clay Taylor here. I think it's an Eastern
> Kingbird. My personal feeling is that it's in fresh juvenile plumage,
> identifiable by the prominent white fringes to the primaries and wing
> coverts and a subtle yellow wash on the lower belly. As Clay indicated
> pretty heavily, there is probably some photographic distortion, thus
> exaggerating the appearance of the yellow and the extent of the gray wash
on
> the breast. The throat appears to be in shadow rather than being genuinely
> grayish.
> >
> > The location and time of year would be totally appropriate for a
juvenile
> Eastern Kingbird.
> >
> > A couple of years ago I went to look for a Western Kingbird found
locally
> by Harvey Allen in South Amherst. I was lucky and met with success, but
the
> same spot was also loaded with Eastern Kingbirds. I remember being
impressed
> by the appearance of the juveniles, many of which showed a notable
yellowish
> suffusion on the lower belly when I was fully expecting the Western to be
> the only yellow bellied kingbird there.
> >
> > One could argue that a hybrid is difficult to rule out but I think it's
> even more difficult to reach the conclusion, from these images alone, that
> one of this bird's parents was a Western.
> >
> > Definitely an interesting and fun exercise. Is there any chance we can
be
> pointed to the Western Kingbird characteristics?
> >
> >
> > Best Wishes,
> >
> >
> > James.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message ---- 
> > From: "snaketat at cox.net" <snaketat at cox.net>
> > To: ctbirds at lists.ctbirding.org
> > Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 7:18:40 AM
> > Subject: [CT Birds] Mystery Kingbird Revealed (Brian Kleinman)
> >
> >  Cograt's to Jim and Clay for attempting to ID this kingbird.  Jim you
> were right in calling it a hybrid and Clay you were 1/2 right.  Here is
the
> actual report from the CT Rare Records Committee.
> >
> > CASSIN'S KINGBIRD (Tyrannus vociferans). A single bird thought to be of
> this species was seen and photographed at Hammonasset Beach State Park  on
> 19 Aug 1998 (99-12). This report initiated one of the most  interesting
> ornithological investigations in ARCC history. The bird was fairly  well
> studied. The photographs were suggestive at best but actually  provided
some
> key evidence for this investigation. The write-ups and photos  describe a
> kingbird shaped bird with fairly yellow under parts; a  distinct and
fairly
> broad white terminal band to the tail, a dark breast  set off from the
> yellowish under parts by a narrow white area, a "medium"  sized bill for a
> kingbird, and moderately dark upper parts. Lacking,  or unable to be
> determined were the white malar area typical of Cassin's  Kingbird, a
clear
> determination of the number of tail feathers  evident, the certain age of
> the individual, or the true extent of the  yellowish coloration to the
under
> parts.
> >
> > Many committee members felt that this bird showed real possibilities to
> be vociferans but a few were initially troubled by the tail pattern.  The
> white tip seemed to be a bit extreme for Cassin's Kingbird which has
white
> or pale fringing to the tip of the tail and not really a defined  white
tip
> as this bird showed. The tails suggested that of an Eastern  Kingbird (T.
> tyrannus), but the yellowish coloration to the under parts  seemed to be
> beyond what reviewers have experienced with the species.  Copies of the
> slides were sent digitally to experts from around the  country and what
> ensued was extremely interesting. Most of these people  felt that the bird
> was not Cassin's Kingbird for the same reasons as  stated above. A few
felt
> that the images did not conclusively identify it  as Cassin's, nor did
they
> conclusively eliminate Cassin's. The most  important bits of information
> came when the ARCC asked reviewers if they  had any experience with hybrid
> >  Eastern X Western Kingbird (T.  verticalis). Surprisingly, a few people
> had some experience with this pairing and  more importantly, numerous
> extremely experienced ornithologists felt  that these photos suggest what
a
> hybrid of this pairing could, in fact,  resemble (V. Remsen, K. Garrett,
T.
> Leukering, pers. comm.)! While  identification to this hybrid combination
is
> far from provable, the  committee agreed that the bird was not Cassin's
> Kingbird and that  identification of this bird as an Eastern X Western
> Kingbird hybrid could not be  ruled out.
> >
> > The breeding range of Western Kingbird is spreading eastward at an
> impressive rate and recent nestings in Tennessee and in the upper Midwest,
> east of the Mississippi, seem to indicate that hybrid pairings like the
one
> suggested above may become more frequent (Winging It, Aug 99).  Observers
> are asked to carefully note all details of yellow-bellied  kingbird
> observations.
> >
> > This committee would like to extend special thanks to Louis Bevier,
> Kimball Garrett, Greg Lasley, Tony Leukering, Van Remsen, and Don Roberson
> for their careful analysis and comment on this confusing issue.
> >
> > Thanks for playing!
> >
> > Brian
>
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