ID Help - South Texas Kingbird (1 Viewer)

[Hockey.Lover]

Hi all,

I was in south Texas, South Padre Island about a week ago and photographed this kingbird. I thought I had gotten a video of its song, but it didn't happen. The weather was kind of bad during our trip so the photo isn't as crisp as I would have liked.

Could this be a Tropical or Couch's Kingbird?

I appreciate any ID help. I just hope it doesn't all come down to the song....

Thanks!! Gail

 

[Bird_Bill]

Seeing some western in your kingbird Gail.Yellow doesnt carry as high on chest as Trop & Couch's. Tail-tip cleft seems consistant with west' as does light edging.No where near sure about it. Bird gave you a "funky" compound angle on head/bill,gives me pause. Inputing Sp. and location data at ebird,all 3 show in same time frame virtually superimposed in places.

 

[Kratter]

Definitely Tropical or Couch's Kingbird. Too bright yellow below, tail notched, lacks completely white outer web of outer rectrices, and bill too big for Western. Generally Tropical and Couch's are not safely separable without vocalizations, measurements, or a view of comparable lengths of primaries. The bill looks somewhat short to me, indicating Cocuch's.

Andy

 

[Hockey.Lover]

This seems to further complicate...

I found this link to Cornells with comparisons of Tropical, Couch and Western.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/kingbirdsX.htm This is great to see side-by-side for comparisons...(though I didn't like seeing them deceased...)

I have two more photos that show quite notched tail, like Tropical and one of a cropped tail showing whitish edges to the tip of the tail and shorter wing tips.

Darn, I wish I would have known that I hadn't recorded a video of the song. I never do video with my camera so I thought I had recorded it. Can't remember the sound, either.

Don't know if either new photos help anything except to further question the ID.

I appreciate both your detailed comments.

At any rate, if it is down to Couch's or Tropical, both these are new birds.

 

[Steve Gross]

Tropical makes a twittering sound, kind of un-musical. The Couch's often gives a "Wheer!" call, plus a lot of "pip"s. Perhaps that will jog your memory.

 

[Hockey.Lover]

Thanks, Steve. I don't recall it being twittery. If my memory serves, it was more of a pip pip pip.

 

[njlarsen]

The ABA site guide mentions 4 species of Kingbirds for SPI, so no help from there.

Niels

 

[River Girl]

Tropical Kingbird

We were on SPI the last week of January and I photographed what was identified as a tropical kingbird while at the Birding Center. Looks like your bird to my inexperienced eye. Had never seen one before.

 

[Bird_Bill]

Dont see western in your 2nd series of shots Gail.
River Girl has a bird that looks close,Yellow on upper chest consistent with description in link from cornell for tropical.
One thing for sure,"oodles" of kingbirds on SPI.

 

[Steve Gross]

The ratio of Couch's to Tropical Kingbird in the Rio Grande Valley tends to change over the course of the year. Many Couch's migrate south during the heart of winter, increasing the statistical likelihood that you'd see a Tropical. However, many birds are silent during that time, too.

I've had birds fly right in when I've played a recording of the Tropical twitter, stare at me, but never vocalize.

I've found the majority of my vocalizing Tropicals during the summer, but many birders don't travel to the area during that time of year.

It's always an adventure down there, and differential IDs like this add to the fun.