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Is thia a Hermit x Townsends Warbler hybrid? (1 Viewer)

tomjenner

Well-known member
I have never come across a Hermit Warbler x Townsends Warbler hybrid before and I was wondering if this was one. It doesn't seem to be quite like the various pictures I have in guides, but it does seem to have characteristics of both species. Also, how common are these hybrids?

Tom
 

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I was just going across my newly aquired Peterson field guide to warblers - and this guide does not make sence of it either . It looks like an interesting bird ! - what ever it is .
 
I've seen afew Townsend's/Hermit hybrids, but I've never seen one that looks like this. Hybrids tend to show the head pattern of a Hermit Warbler which means a dusky or grayish-olive nape and rear crown. The bird in this shot looks to be entirely yellow headed, unless its an artifact of the photo or the rear part of the head just isn't visible. This bird looks more like a Black-throated Green Warbler, but they also have a gray-green head. Certainly is an interesting bird.
 
jcwings said:
I've seen afew Townsend's/Hermit hybrids, but I've never seen one that looks like this. Hybrids tend to show the head pattern of a Hermit Warbler which means a dusky or grayish-olive nape and rear crown. The bird in this shot looks to be entirely yellow headed, unless its an artifact of the photo or the rear part of the head just isn't visible. This bird looks more like a Black-throated Green Warbler, but they also have a gray-green head. Certainly is an interesting bird.
Hey JCwings, I definatly know what you are saying about the BT green - with the black portions of the breast streaking out to the sides. - very interesting !:stuck:
 
I originally labelled the photo as a Black-throated Green warbler (the most common Dendroica warbler in the area), but later wondered about the amount of yellow on the face. The underparts seem much more like Black-throated green, without the yellow that you would expect from a Townsends, but then the face seems so like a Hermit!

Tom
 
tomjenner said:
I originally labelled the photo as a Black-throated Green warbler (the most common Dendroica warbler in the area), but later wondered about the amount of yellow on the face. The underparts seem much more like Black-throated green, without the yellow that you would expect from a Townsends, but then the face seems so like a Hermit!

Tom
Hey Tom - when was this picture taken - I am wondering if it is breeding or post breeding plumage ? Not that I would be able to give you an answer after the fact anyway... but then it has to be breeding plumage I think... ? hmmmm...?
 
danehower said:
Hey Tom - when was this picture taken - I am wondering if it is breeding or post breeding plumage ? Not that I would be able to give you an answer after the fact anyway... but then it has to be breeding plumage I think... ? hmmmm...?
The photo was taken in El Salvador in January, so it is in winter (basic) plumage.

Tom
 
Interesting bird. It seems that hybrids (Townsend´s x Hermit) are quite variable, some have yellow breast, some have not, some look like Townsend´s but lack the yellow breast, some have strong flank streaking and some have less strong, to none. Hermit head pattern combined with Townsend´s greenish back and yellow breast seems to be the most frequent types. Some hybrids also resembles Black-troated Green Warbler, and the subject bird does, except for the plain head and what it looks like, difficult to be sertain of in this image though, lack of yellowish vent. One character that looks very like BTGW is the broadness of the blackish throat patch on the side of the throat, and where it meet the upper flank patch, which is rather big, before it spreads to thick flank streaking. Golden-cheeked Warbler similar:

http://helensbirds.homestead.com/concannaturequest.html

On pure Thownsend´s or Hermit you don´t see that large upper breast patch, especially not on Hermit which has no underparts streaking, or very limited on upper breast sides in fall plumage only(?). Townsend´s with it´s sharply cut of black throat patch, ending at the bend of the wing, males, and females with less developed throat patch, where the flank streaks neatly emerges from. Notice the single dark streak on the undertail coverts, which Townsend´s has, in a variable amount apparently, and Golden-cheeked.
So, why isn´t the bird just an aberrant BTGW?

http://www.birdinfo.com/A_Images_T/TownsendsWarbler_0001.html

http://www.birdphotography.com/species/towa.html

Notice the yellowish-green vent on this TW:

http://morrocoastaudubon.org/pics/gstowa.jpg

http://birdsamore.com/byb/warbler-townsends.htm

BTGW:

http://www.birdsasart.com/Black-throated-Green-Warbler.jpg

http://www.featheredfotos.com/spppages/songbirds/black-throated green warbler.html

http://www.arthurgrosset.com/sabirds/black-throatedgreenwarbler.html

Suggested hybrids:

http://www.oceanwanderers.com/HermWarbNY02.html

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/hermit_warbler.htm

http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2004/10/20049612.shtml

http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/sep00.htm

http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Auk/v115n02/p0284-p0310.pdf

JanJ
 
Last edited:
JANJ said:
So, why isn´t the bird just an aberrant BTGW?

JanJ
My initial thoughts were that it was an abberant Black-throated Green Warbler and looking through these excellent links (thanks Jan) has made me think so even more. The only real thing that is odd about this bird is the amount of yellow on the head. Other than that, it seems to be a perfect example of a Black-throated Green.

Tom
 
I co-sign with BTGW. On my monitor it looks as though the head may be a bit darker on top than underneath. Everything looks good for an aberrant BTGW to me.
 
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