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Posted by Keith Bauer on August 22, 2009 at 8:05 PM
I captured this image in the mountains east of Albuquerque, NM at about 8000 feet this morning. I'm not sure what it is. Environment is a bunch of conifer's, shrubs, etc.
Discussion
5 repliesI've had varying opinions...
Warbling Vireo?
Orange-crowned Warbler?
Virginia's Warbler?
??
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
The bill belongs to a warbler, not a vireo, so Warbling Vireo is out.
Nashville and Virginia's have well defined complete eyerings, so they are out.
Orange-crowned Warbler has a split eyering, as seen here, and some blurry breast streaking, also seen here.
The breast streaking and the amount of yellow in the undertail rules out the similar fall plumaged Tennessee Warbler.
The first fall plumage of the orestera race has a gay head; this is the race expected in New Mexico and all along the Rockies.
Reference: Warblers, Jon Dunn and Kimball Garrett, in the Peterson Field Guide series.