Florida Panhandle - late September (1 Viewer)

[peterbod]

I keep thinking I've ID'd these; then have my doubts....help please

 

[Butty]

I keep thinking I've ID'd these

. . . as?
(If you give your thoughts, you'll get more-helpful comments in replies.)

 

[peterbod]

OK, a) Short billed dowitcher as opposed to long billed. b) Red Knots
Behind the dowitcher in a) I confess, struggling to find a match in my book.

 

[Butty]

1. Back: red knot - fat thing, narrow-barred uppertail-coverts. Front: I leave separating dowitchers to people who (think they) can do it 😉
2. Willets: chunky thick-set appearance, deep bill tapering evenly from base to tip, supercilium in front of eye only.

 

[peterbod]

But, here's what confused me... the dowitcher (sb or lb) is at least 11in, the red knot less than 10" but doesn't it appear larger than the dowitcher?

 

[Butty]

Sure. Shorter bill.

 

[njlarsen]

But, here's what confused me... the dowitcher (sb or lb) is at least 11in, the red knot less than 10" but doesn't it appear larger than the dowitcher?

Sometimes telephoto lenses produce images that falsely make the rear bird look larger. I do not understand the physics but have seen that claimed repeatedly on Birdforum so am starting to believe it.
Niels

 

[Butty]

Sure - but in this case it's due to the different bill-lengths.

 

[njlarsen]

Sure - but in this case it's due to the different bill-lengths.

Sorry, are you saying that the longer bill on the front bird makes the rear bird look larger?
Niels

 

[Butty]

No . The point is that lengths quoted in field guides are conventionally the entire length of the bird - bill-tip to tail-tip. But, in dowitchers, body-length is a proportionally smaller part of that overall length because they have a very long bill. Hence the apparent disparity.

 

[peterbod]

So that could explain it. Thanks

 

[rkj]

No . The point is that lengths quoted in field guides are conventionally the entire length of the bird - bill-tip to tail-tip. But, in dowitchers, body-length is a proportionally smaller part of that overall length because they have a very long bill. Hence the apparent disparity.

This is surely correct, but I would like to add that the sizes given in the field guide should not be taken as gospel. Sibley lists Red Knot as 10.5 inches, Short-billed Dowitcher as 11 inches, and Long-billed Dowitcher as 11.5 inches, but all of these are averages and real birds of any species vary somewhat in size. It would not surprise me if some Red Knots are actually longer than some Short- or even Long-billed Dowitchers.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
the point Niels mentioned, has been covered in detail by the late Peter Grant:

https://britishbirds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/article_files/V76/V76_N08/V76_N08_P327_334_A095.pdf