Swallow ID- Northern Roughwing or Purple Martin? Hernando FL, today (1 Viewer)

Can anyone tell from these not so good photos if this is a purple martin or northern roughwing swallow-those are the two that have been seen in this area recently. Thank you!

Are both pics of the same bird? Have you considered Bahama Swallow for the 1st (white throat and underparts, smallish bill, longish tail...).

Not a Purple Martin with those white underparts ... looks OK for Northern Rough-winged Swallow to me (not Bahama Swallow - not sure if the tail is actually that long + it would be a major rarity)

Yes, both pics are the same bird (there was only one there). Sorry about the quality, it was all I could get in the few seconds he went by. Recently there have been several visits to the park and reports on Ebird for both northern roughwing and purple martin. Sometimes I do wonder about rarities missed due to thinking it is something common though! Thank you for the replies!

I did start contemplating Tree Swallow on this one. It is def not the Martin, and the RWS: shouldn't that one be more dark in the throat area?

Niels

I'm not the best person to comment on this bird as I have only occasional experience with Tachycineta swallows. My initial comment was only a suggestion to be further investigated (I'm aware of the rarity status Dan), should both photos refer to different birds. As that is not the case according to Serena, it is clear the bird doesn't have a long tail (a probable photo artifact on the 1st pic) and has dark underwing coverts, both excluding my suggestion. I was also expecting someone from the other side of the pond to comment on it after my bold suggestion.
However, I think the apparently clear white throat is a bit at odds with this being a RWSwallow, as I already had implicitly in my comment and as Niels also stresses. I made a quick search for RW Swallow images (Google) and some (very few) do seem to have whitish (definitely paler than expected) throat, but the dark on the face (cheeks) extends further down below the eyes than the present photos show. The photos don't seem to be either too under or overexposed, despite the blurriness, and therefore it's hard to imagine the cheeks showing as white and the upperparts to look blackish if this bird was a RW Swallow. I agree Tree Swallow might be a better fit.

It looks best for a Tree Swallow. There have been a few Tree Swallows recently in central Florida so it isn't unheard of for a Tree Swallow in late June in Hernando County.

ANdy

Interesting! Thanks for all the info

Yes - in agreement with Tree Swallow - hadn't realised that a young bird (which this surely is? - brownish upper tones) would be about yet, but apparently immatures are from May onwards, so absolutely no problem. Looking closer the apparent white flanks and white underneath are good yes, and there is even the breast band visible in both photos imo ...

(Rafael - I realised it was a bit of a throwaway comment on your part, knew that you would know the rarity significance, was mainly posting so the OP didn't get too excited (I quickly roughly measured the apparent rear body and tail length compared to the wing depth - and to me it was apparent that it wasn't actually that long-tailed ...). Otherwise I probably wouldn't have commented)

dantheman said:

(Rafael - I realised it was a bit of a throwaway comment on your part, knew that you would know the rarity significance, was mainly posting so the OP didn't get too excited (I quickly roughly measured the apparent rear body and tail length compared to the wing depth - and to me it was apparent that it wasn't actually that long-tailed ...). Otherwise I probably wouldn't have commented)

Click to expand...

No worries Dan. Cheers

i would go with tree swallow also.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tree_Swallow/id