Posted by Joe Paratore on December 28, 2012 at 10:08 AM
I have two more views of the bird from my last post that I hope will help.
.I wasn't sure how to add more images
so I went with this. Does this work out OK?
Thanks everyone
Joe
Posted by Jim DeWitt on December 28, 2012 at 6:43 PM
Tennessee, Joe. Note the greenish cast to the back.
Posted by Brian Gatlin on December 29, 2012 at 10:34 AM
the bill looks a bit odd in general, but it certainly looks wrong to me for a Tennessee Warbler. Note the hooked tip in the upper photo, which would seem to argue pretty strongly for Warbling Vireo. Tail looks too long for the warbler too. I'd call the back a pretty dull olive, which is also fine for WAVI.
Posted by Rob Graham on December 31, 2012 at 8:31 PM
It looks classic for a Warbling Vireo; they are common here in Kansas in the summer.
Posted by Richard Ditch on December 31, 2012 at 8:54 PM
Note that there are at least two forms of Warbling Vireo - the eastern form is paler and less colorful than the western form and it also shows less contrast. When I lived in NJ and was a birder for 20+ years I considered the Warbling Vireo to be the plainest bird that I encountered each year. I had to adjust my expectations when I moved to AZ in 1994 and found Warbling Vireos here to be much more colorful. I have four images of western birds posted on my web site.
I think this is an eastern form Warbling Vireo. I agree about the bill being wrong for a warbler, and the tail seems a bit too long as well. Another point in favor of vireo is the bluish tinge to the legs and feet - I never noticed this on vireos when I was simply a birder but I am quite aware of it from my digital photos.
This is a good bird for identification discussions. It shows how tricky an ID can be based only on after the fact images. It emphasizes the importance of observing behavior when trying to make an ID.
Discussion
4 replies.I wasn't sure how to add more images
so I went with this. Does this work out OK?
Thanks everyone
Joe
I think this is an eastern form Warbling Vireo. I agree about the bill being wrong for a warbler, and the tail seems a bit too long as well. Another point in favor of vireo is the bluish tinge to the legs and feet - I never noticed this on vireos when I was simply a birder but I am quite aware of it from my digital photos.
This is a good bird for identification discussions. It shows how tricky an ID can be based only on after the fact images. It emphasizes the importance of observing behavior when trying to make an ID.