Outdoor Ontario

Request for Information => Bird ID => Topic started by: moratorian on July 26, 2008, 10:44:37 AM

Title: ID
Post by: moratorian on July 26, 2008, 10:44:37 AM

I have tentatively identified this bird as a Gray Kingbird. Can anyone confirm or give an alternative. Thanks.

Mike

http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Mikes ... Kingbird_1 (http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Mikes-Birds/Gray_Kingbird_1)
http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Mikes ... y_Kingbird (http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Mikes-Birds/Gray_Kingbird)

Title:
Post by: Greg Schneider on July 26, 2008, 11:18:39 AM

That looks like a swallow, perhaps Northern Roughwinged.

Title:
Post by: Brian Bailey on July 26, 2008, 03:51:04 PM

It looks like a young Tree Swallow.

The top of the head appears bluish in the first image, and the throat doesn't look nearly so dark in he second image when it's not in shade.  The tail has a pronounced v-notch and the wings project beyond the tail.  That all adds up to "Tree Swallow" for me.

BB

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Post by: Pat Hodgson on July 28, 2008, 02:45:13 PM

I'm not at all sure, but I think it could be a juvenile purple martin.

Title: Bird ID
Post by: JTF on July 28, 2008, 07:53:02 PM

I would also say a juvenile purple martin.

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Post by: moratorian on July 31, 2008, 09:27:17 AM

Well I agree it's not a Kingbird (the beak should have told me that). But for now it will have to go into my "As yet unidentified" file. I'm not sure about the Purple Martin identification. Where I saw this bird (Lake Ontario side of Rattray Marsh) there are lots of swallows, including Tree and Barn (and perhaps Rough-winged) but I have never seen an adult Purple Martin (which may  or may not mean anything). Any way I have added two more photos in case they may make ID easier.

Thanks for your input. This is what makes birding so interesting.

Mike

http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Mikes ... _Swallow_1 (http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Mikes-Birds/Unknown_Swallow_1)
http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Mikes ... ow_Swallow (http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Mikes-Birds/Unknow_Swallow)

Title:
Post by: Pat Hodgson on July 31, 2008, 02:07:35 PM

in favour of purple martin ID:

grayish throat (esp in photo "3 of 58", which is the only one not overexposed) and fine vertical streaking on breast should rule out tree swallow
purplish blue on top of head - juv. tree swallow has no blue/purple at all
rather stout bill - tree swallow's is more petite
nothing to judge relative size really, but this bird still looks too large and thick, also rather long-toed
pose - hanging out in top of tree with dead branches is exactly what purple martins do - I saw dozens of these in Louisiana last week looking and posing exactly like this
lakeshore location obviously does not rule out swallows but is perfect for martin

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Post by: moratorian on July 31, 2008, 05:11:02 PM

I have replaced two of the photos with ones that show the streaking on the breast more clearly.

http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Mikes ... _Swallow_2 (http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Mikes-Birds/Unknown_Swallow_2)
http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Mikes ... wn_Swallow (http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Mikes-Birds/Unknown_Swallow)

Mike