[wisb] Re: Spotted Towhee -- Nine Springs/Madison
- From: Kyle Lindemer <kyle.lindemer@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Schaufenbuel <schaufenbuel@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2014 21:23:49 -0500
While I am no expert, I think this bird looks very similar to most from
Colorado that are likely to be pure Spotted Towhee. I feel the argument
for a hybrid is just as good as the argument for a Arcticus subspecies.
The hybrid photos in eBird show birds that are lacking the spots of the
bird in Madison. All I can say is that the record committee has their work
cut out for them.
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S10076573
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15894003
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15472081
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15875130
Kyle Lindemer
Madison, Dane County
On Thu, Apr 17, 2014 at 2:52 PM, Schaufenbuel <schaufenbuel@xxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
> Yes, this bird does show some hybrid features. Though the lack of spots
> on back may mean it is a still moulting into a more strikingly spotted
> plumage, the extensive white at base of primary feathers combined with
> white edged tertials and coverts seem to be key for a hybrid. One
> should listen to the bird's call notes as the Eastern has the familiar
> distinct two-part "che-wink" and the Spotted has a rough and rising
> "zureee" to help build a case for identification. Quality images of the
> bird in flight showing the wing and tail patterns may be difficult to
> get, but helpful.
>
> Spots on the back from my experience are very important to ID vagrant
> Spotted as the the Great Plains form (most likely encountered in WI?) of
> the Spotted has the most extensive back spotting (possibly a
> species-level isolating mark from the near-adjacent Easterns). Suspect
> birds with the combination spotted wings and spotless dark backs are
> more likely hybrids. But, Northwest forms (another source of vagrants)
> of Spotted have little back spotting and here again is where the
> extensive white patch at primary base and calls may be the deciding
> factors among Spotted, Eastern or Hybrids.
>
> Joe
>
> --
> Joe Schaufenbuel
> Stevens Point
> Portage Co., WI
>
>
>
>
> Spots on the back from my experience are very important to ID vagrant
> Spotted as the the Great Plains form (most likely encountered?) of the
> Spotted has the most extensive back spotting (possible a specific
> isolating mark) and hybrids with he combination spotted wings brown
> backs are more likely hybrids.
> On 4/16/2014 9:38 PM, Tom Wood wrote:
> > I do not have experience with the hybrid Eastern Towhee X Spotted Towhee,
> > but Sunil's images seem to show that combination.
> > Specifically, the white at the base of the primaries is an Eastern Towhee
> > field mark, and none of the field guides I own show white in that
> location
> > on a Spotted Towhee. His photos seem to roughly match Sibley's painting
> of
> > that hybrid. Do any of you more knowledgeable birders have an opinion?
> > Thomas Wood, Menomonee Falls, Waukesha County
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: wisbirdn-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:
> wisbirdn-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> > On Behalf Of Sunil Gopalan
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 6:46 PM
> > To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: [wisb] Spotted Towhee -- Nine Springs/Madison
> >
> > The Spotted Towhee was viewed by several birders today -- it was loosely
> > associating with several American Tree and Song Sparrows along the bike
> path
> > leading to the ponds.
> > Some images: http://www.sunilsimages.com/Other/Spotted-Towhee/n-2w7ZF/
> >
> > Sunil Gopalan - Madison - Dane Co.
> >
> >
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>
> --
> Joe Schaufenbuel
> Stevens Point
> Portage Co., WI
>
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--
Kyle Lindemer
Madison, Dane County
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