Identification required (1 Viewer)

[DaveT]

HI All
Looking for enlightenment regarding some unidentified images taken during a trip to Southern Arizona in May of this year.
Apologies in advance for the quality of the images, distance, environment and bird size all contributing to this.
This 1st image was taken along Hereford Bridge trail, Sierra Vista, Arizona USA.

Appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.

Dave

 

[nartreb]

Interesting. By shape it reminds me of the larger flycatchers (Myiarchus or Tyrannis), but it's not one I'm familiar with. Unlike, say, ash-throated flycatcher, your bird has no yellow on belly, no cinnamon on tail, and much paler beak.
My guess is northern beardless-tyrannulet, Campostoba imberbe. That matches your photo well and nests in your location.
Cornell's website describes this bird as small and active, hopping frequently from branch to branch, unlike its more stately cousins. And it should have a distinctive whistling call.

My fall-back position would be an Empidonax flycatcher, maybe Dusky. I can't say why, but your photo doesn't fit those as well for me. (Location is also a factor: close but not great for Dusky or Gray or...)

 

[Lisa W]

My guess would be a Hammond’s, but I am far from certain.

 

[DaveT]

Interesting. By shape it reminds me of the larger flycatchers (Myiarchus or Tyrannis), but it's not one I'm familiar with. Unlike, say, ash-throated flycatcher, your bird has no yellow on belly, no cinnamon on tail, and much paler beak.
My guess is northern beardless-tyrannulet, Campostoba imberbe. That matches your photo well and nests in your location.
Cornell's website describes this bird as small and active, hopping frequently from branch to branch, unlike its more stately cousins. And it should have a distinctive whistling call.

My fall-back position would be an Empidonax flycatcher, maybe Dusky. I can't say why, but your photo doesn't fit those as well for me. (Location is also a factor: close but not great for Dusky or Gray or...)

Thank you for your suggestion, I had northern beardless-tyrannulet as my go to bird but there were doubts about some of the matching features.

 

[DaveT]

My guess would be a Hammond’s, but I am far from certain.

Thanks Lisa, hadn't thought of that one, will now look a bit closer to see if features fit.

 

[birdmeister]

Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet was my first thought, too.