Unknown sandpiper (Dan Diego, California) & Unknown Tanager (Cotopaxi, Ecuador) (2 Viewers)

olivermarshall99 · Jun 27, 2020

On a recent trip to California I observed a flock of sandpipers, semipalmated or white rumped? Some help with ID would be appreciated.

Another trip to Ecuador, I came across this tanager; moss backed or blue and yellow tanager?

Thanks

RafaelMatias · Jun 27, 2020

The sandpipers are Least.

njlarsen · Jun 27, 2020

Mostly looks like B&Y Tanager, except possibly the blue does not reach far enough down the throat (your image shows the bird extremely small). Moss-backed should have yellow lower mandible just to mention one difference.
Compare for example here: https://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=541951

Niels

THE_FERN · Jun 27, 2020

njlarsen said:
Mostly looks like B&Y Tanager, except possibly the blue does not reach far enough down the throat (your image shows the bird extremely small). Moss-backed should have yellow lower mandible just to mention one difference.
Compare for example here: https://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=541951

Niels

I think it's OK for blue and yellow. The photo angle doesn't let you see how far down the blue extends. But we can see the black eye mask of blue and yellow, and although it's difficult to judge, the lower mandible doesn't look yellow as you said

coltrv · Jun 28, 2020

RafaelMatias said:
The sandpipers are Least.

I'm sure you're right, but I'm just curious, what's the difference between a Least Sandpiper and a Western Sandpiper? Because my first thought when I saw the sandpipers was Western.

THE_FERN · Jun 28, 2020

coltrv said:
I'm sure you're right, but I'm just curious, what's the difference between a Least Sandpiper and a Western Sandpiper? Because my first thought when I saw the sandpipers was Western.

The easiest difference, which you can see on most birds unless the legs are covered in mud etc, is that legs of least are yellow and of western black.

coltrv · Jun 28, 2020

THE_FERN said:
The easiest difference, which you can see on most birds unless the legs are covered in mud etc, is that legs of least are yellow and of western black.

Are the legs yellow or black on these ones? They look black to me

RafaelMatias · Jun 28, 2020

coltrv said:
Are the legs yellow or black on these ones? They look black to me

They look dark greenish to me. But the species can easily be confirmed by a number of other features, notably structure and proportions (legs/toes, bill length/shape), but also the plumage details and the overall shape and stance.

Unknown sandpiper (Dan Diego, California) & Unknown Tanager (Cotopaxi, Ecuador) (2 Viewers)

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