Help with Bird ID

[dihoekstra]

I thought this was a northern rough-winged swallow, but it doesn't match. The beak is different and the belly isn't white/tan. Could this be an olive-sided or some other flycatcher?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/192/489042089_cd26fc3022.jpg

[dmcjbc]

Hi Dihoekstra, I think it might be an Eastern Phoebe. David.

[betsy]

I've refrained from offering an opinion on this one, Di, because I've never seen an Olive-sided Flycatcher. But it can't be an Eastern Phoebe, David -- the wings are too long compared to the tail, and if what we see of the side of the breast was as dark as it appears in the photo, that's too dark as well.

I noticed on Connie's addition to her post about the delayed trip to Village Creek that Olive-sided Flycatchers appeared in the species list. That says they're around now and are therefore possible. The bill appears to be yellow and the wing length relative to the tail looks good for Olive-sided (as illustrated in Sibley), as well as the dimness of the wingbars and that "cottony tuft" as Peterson (R.T.) calls it, poking out from behind the wing. The overall profile looks good for Olive-sided as well. I just didn't know what to make of the white around the neck -- it's so much more pronounced than in either the Sibley or Peterson illustrations. But I just googled images of Olive-sided Flycatchers and discovered at least one that has plenty of white around the neck here: http://www.stanislausbirds.org/Photos/images/olive-sided-flycatcher.jpg

http://www.stanislausbirds.org/Photos/images/olive-sided-flycatcher.jpg

So even though most of the photos don't show that much white, apparently it does sometimes occur. The bill doesn't look as large as it ought to if the face was in full profile, but its face may be turned away from us, shortening the apparent length of the bill -- since I can't place the eye it's hard to tell. I haven't been able to come up with a better ID than you did, Di -- that's the best I can tell you. I think you were right to go from swallows to flycatchers, though -- the wings aren't long enough for swallows.

Perry? Jim Peterson? Oddball Bird? Where are you guys? Need another opinion or three.

[dihoekstra]

Yeah, I've seen a number of Eastern Phoebes and it didn't strike me as one of those. If memory serves, it was smaller than a Phoebe. That's why at first I thought it was a NRWS. I'll check around the park in that same area next time. Birds seem to be somewhat habitual, so maybe it'll be there again. Thanks, though!

[dihoekstra]

Here's another picture. Slightly different angle. The beak is larger in this picture but seems too dark for the olive sided flycatcher. But the tail & coverts seem to match the OSF in my Sibley.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/218/500339745_006ad1cbd7.jpg

[lei]

I second Eastern Phoebe. :)

[betsy]

Well, the phoebe voters may be focussing on the white around the neck in making that vote, but here's an image of an Eastern Phoebe in a similar orientation that I found on the web, for comparison. Notice how much tail extends beyond the wingtips -- far more than you can see on Di's bird. The wings on Di's bird are longer than a phoebe's wings, giving it a sleeker overall profile.

http://www.gdphotography.com/images/1276.jpg
http://www.gdphotography.com/images/1276.jpg


The second photo is helpful, Di, in showing that the bill is larger than it appeared in the first photo -- thanks for adding it.

[dihoekstra]

This bird has a much darker breast and belly then the Eastern Phoebe's I've seen. Also, in case this helps, it was up at the very tip of the tree, maybe 25 feet. I will definitely try and find it again Monday morning. In my post last night I said I thought it was smaller than a phoebe as well. I checked my Sibley and the Olive-sided Flycatcher is roughly the same size as a Phoebe. Still stumped...

[riecket13]

Olive-sided Flycatcher . . .
1) We can see a bit of 'flesh' coloration on the underside of the bill on picture 1, which means that it is not an all dark bill (i think the darkness on the bill has a lot to do with lighting, i think this also affects the darkness on the flanks . . . to an extent)
2) The bird's posture is very consistent with a Contopus flycatcher, very upright
3) The bird's behavior is very consistent with a Contopus flycatcher, especially OSFL, high in the dead branches of the largest snag around, very conspicious, OSFL is often identified from hundreds of yards away due to a) perch location, b) darkness of breast, and c) upright posture, this is not typical of EAPH
4) The bird's breast is far far far too dark to be an Eastern Phoebe
5) The bird has a slight crest, consistent with OSFL, not EAPH
6) As Betsy has already pointed out, the primary extension is far too close to the tail tip for it to be EAPH

[betsy]

Ah, Thomas -- at last! Someone who actually knows has weighed in. Thanks for all the helpful tips!

[dihoekstra]

Thanks Thomas and Betsy! Next time, I'll include more details in my posting. Always good to share where the bird is perched, etc. And I'll update my list to include this new find! I think I'm up to 125 or so birds on my life time list...