Thrush, Vancouver Island (1 Viewer)

V

vpr

Active member

• Sep 24, 2017

• #1

Hi everyone,

Any idea on this? Hermit? Swainson's?

I feel the shape is more like a hermit thrush, but I don't see a reddish tail.

 

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F

fugl

Well-known member

• Sep 24, 2017

• #2

Looks good for Swainson's to me.

 

V

vpr

Active member

• Sep 24, 2017

• #3

Thanks a lot for the reply!

I have trouble still telling them apart (unless some of the more obvious field markings are apparent).

In this case, what aspect of it gave it away?

The stocky body shape made me thing hermit, but the face looked more Swainson's.

 

RJP

Well-known member

• Sep 24, 2017

• #4

Swainson's is a bit more buffy in the face than a Hermit in the Pacific NW (elsewhere difference is even more noticeable). This bird fits that but it's not a really prominent mark. A Hermit should have noticeably darker spotting on the breast, and that rusty tail should be clearly visible on a photo like this.

 

V

vpr

Active member

• Sep 24, 2017

• #5

Thanks! That's all very helpful

 

V

vpr

Active member

• Sep 25, 2017

• #6

By the way, I'm not sure if this throws a spanner into the works, but I saw what I think was the same bird today in the same place, but in a little bit better lighting and from a different angle (above). It had a distinct rusty tail.

The one today was definitely a hermit.

I think it was the same bird as I've never seen either here before, and so two different species in two days would be unusual, but obviously not impossible.

Could this then rather be a hermit with a somewhat less prominent tail because of the lighting?