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Arizona Flycatcher??? (1 Viewer)

Photgog

Rufous-Female
Taken Jan 6, 11... Central Arizona...

A dark shot but perhaps enough for an ID...

Fraser
 

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Well...I'm no expert on western empids but...
there are only three regular wintering species in Arizona.
Gray, Dusky, Hammond's.

Gray can be easily eliminated based on overall colour (strong yellow on belly, olive on back) so we are left with Dusky/Hammond's.

I would argue that it is likely Dusky based on the following, but more angles would be preferable to confirm ID:
Primary extension appears short relative to longer tail
Extensive orange on lower mandible reaches greater than 1/2 bill length
Relatively long bill
 
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More pictures. I followed this bird for about 15 minutes. I believe these are all the same bird.
 

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Well those photos are quite useful. Clearly show short primary extension and long tail. Looks good for Dusky.
Don't know how common that is in your region.
 
Dusky's are known here... Migratory for sure and we are a bit north of their winter range.

Life Bird for me... Thanks.

Fraser
 
Hi Fraser,

These are tricky photos to work with since the color balance looks like it could be a bit off (toward yellow saturation). The structure of these birds would also easily fit Gray Flycatcher, which is the most common winter Empid in central Arizona. The bill length and coloration are spot on for a Gray, and if the color balance is tweaked so that the throat is grayish-white/white (which is is in both Dusky and Gray), then the back takes on a less green tone, looks pale with a lot of contrast with the wings. This is the way Gray Flycatchers look in winter when they are in Arizona. Duskies this time of year are overall more color saturated. Behaviorally, Gray is a tail-dipper, distinctive if you are aware to watch for it. The calls are extremely similar between the two. Grays also tend to be found in more open areas with scattered scrub vegetation, whereas Duskies are more often in riparian areas at this time of year, though there is overlap.

Chris
 
OK... Flycatcher. This photo was taken at Butcher Jones campsite... right by the Lake. (Saguaro)

I did not tweak the colors of the presented bird but there was processing that might have effected a color change.

First is RAW image... right out of the camera.

Second is the addition of 1.35 F-stop to brighten the image.

Third is a contrast adjustment.

All the photos were sharpened slightly.

Hope this helps.

Fraser

Edit... The behavior of the bird... Bird would sit on a low tree branch, then fly down to the ground (To feed?) then return to the branch or another branch. This was done repetitively. I don't recall this bird dipping it's tail. The next day at a different site I did notice a Flycatcher dipping tail.
 

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OK... Flycatcher. This photo was taken at Butcher Jones campsite... right by the Lake. (Saguaro)

That's a good place for Gray Flycatcher. EBird has a report of two there three days before you took your photo. No eBird reports of other Empid species at that site any time.

Not sure why your apparent Gray flycatcher does not appear especially gray, but I think that's what it is.

Best,
Jim
 
That's a good place for Gray Flycatcher. EBird has a report of two there three days before you took your photo. No eBird reports of other Empid species at that site any time.

Not sure why your apparent Gray flycatcher does not appear especially gray, but I think that's what it is.

Best,
Jim


I have seen fresh Gray's with a pretty strong greenish cast to the mantle. The facial expression does it for me...the expansive pale lores and the linkage to the eye-ring always suggest a continuous pale supercillium, unlike Dusky and Hammond's.[or other Eastern empids]
 
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