[obol] Re: Possible Bronzed Cowbird ?
- From: Jeff Gilligan <jeffgilligan10@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: llsdirons@xxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 31 May 2013 08:28:27 -0700
When I see adult Bronzed Cowbirds they look bull-headed and often show a ruff.
As Dave Irons mentioned, the subject bird doesn't seem to have red eyes. i
don't know when a young bird would normally first show red eyes.
I saw a flock of the race that occur in Arizona in December. None looked like
this bird. All looked like adult males or adult females. I will send the
photos to a few Arizona birders.
I am sure that anyone in the area should look for it. I won't be there for a
few days.
Jeff Gilligan
On May 31, 2013, at 12:50 AM, David Irons <llsdirons@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> Greg,
>
> This is certainly an interesting bird, but the fact that the eye doesn't
> appear to be red raises some concern. Assuming that this bird hatched in 2012
> (I don't how early Bronzed Cowbirds nest down south), it should have a red
> eye by now and it should not be molting. Hatch-year blackbirds go through a
> preformative molt in their first fall which is complete (even flight and tail
> feathers are replaced) and the general consensus is that prealternate molts
> are either extremely limited or non-existent in cowbirds and blackbirds.
>
> I would like to see the original image not blown up (I'm presuming it is
> based on the graininess). I think we might get a better feel for whether the
> bird shows any glossiness in the plumage. There is a quite a bit of digital
> "noise" in this image, which makes it harder to get a good feel for the color
> of the wings, back, coverts, and tail. For the most part, these feather sets
> look brownish and perhaps worn/faded, suggesting to me that they are older
> and that the bird is nearing a year old. I can't find any reference that
> mentions an aberrant black-headed Brown-headed Cowbird, but the shape and
> proportions of this bird don't seem quite right for Bronzed Cowbird.
>
> Like Jeff, I'm having a hard time coming up with something else that this
> bird could be given that it seems to be a male cowbird with a black head.
>
> Dave Irons
> Portland, OR
>
> Subject: [obol] Re: Possible Bronzed Cowbird ?
> From: jeffgilligan10@xxxxxxxxx
> Date: Thu, 30 May 2013 22:47:24 -0700
> CC: obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> To: greg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> I think so…...If it is it has to be a young male moulting to adult plumage.
> If it is, I think it is the aenus race rather than the form found in Arizona
> with which I am more familiar. Maybe we are both missing something, but I
> have no idea what it could be otherwise. Jeff
>
>
>
>
> On May 30, 2013, at 9:59 PM, Greg Gillson <greg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Possible Bronzed Cowbird at Benson Pond on 5/28?
>
> http://www.pbase.com/gregbirder/image/150519360/original
>
> Quick glimpse and pic while looking for waterthruh. Forgot about it until
> going through photos tonight.
>
> Greg
>
>
>
>
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