|
English
and Scientific names: |
Black-headed
Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus)
|
|
Number
of individuals: |
one male in non-breeding plumage; cinnamon/burnt orange breast, nape, and supercilium; no streaking on breast; one large white wing spot on greater coverts; one white wing bar on primary coverts; auriculars black; crown cinnamon/burnt orange on top with black stripe; under tail coverts and vent white |
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Locality:
LOUISIANA: |
Jefferson Parish |
|
Specific
Locality: |
Lizette Wroten’s backyard Colonial
Ln off of River Rd |
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Date(s)
when observed: |
2/20/2010 |
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Time(s)
of day when observed: |
seen the day before by Cathy DiSalvo |
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Reporting
observer and address: |
12:30 pm |
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Other observers
accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): |
Mary Mehaffey Folsom, LA |
|
Other observers who
independently identified the bird(s) |
Glenn Ousset, Cathy DiSalvo, Janine Robin,
Lizette Wroten; Bob Eble |
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Light conditions
(position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): |
sunny day; bird observed in sunlight on
leafless branch and in shade on different leafless branch; and in shade on
feeder |
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Optical
equipment: |
Alpen 8 x 42 fully multi coated binoculars 2
yrs old in excellent condition |
|
Distance
to bird(s): |
25 ft at one point (feeder) and 50 ft in
bushes |
|
Duration
of observation: |
12 minutes |
|
Habitat:
|
rectangular backyard enclosed with evergreen
planting hedge and with an open cut grass area and an old live oak canopy on
the perimeter. River Rd levee across the street with deciduous bature. |
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Behavior
of bird: |
bird was first noticed high in a holly tree
about 7 ft high on the backyard boundary. It would stay perched for
about a minute or so then move to another lower bush until it ultimately
landed on a black oil feeder and then peeled and ate the seeds while we
quietly watched. It also did fly under the bush hedge where it was
difficult to see. We could see the movement of the bird while it was on
the ground and then it flew to a diff! |
|
Description: |
Bird had Grosbeak type bill, pale color; about
the size of a Summer Tanager; plump bird with Grosbeak shape with thick neck;
dark oval eye; gray legs |
|
Voice: |
The bird did not call at all |
|
Similar species: |
First winter male Rose-breasted Grosbeak is a
similar species that has peachy colored breast with streaking on the top and
sides of the breast. The bird we saw had a uniform
cinnamon/burnt orange colored breast with no streaking. The
Rose-breasted Grosbeak also has a white supercilium and this bird had the
same cinnamon/burnt orange color on the supercilium as well as its nape
indicating that it was a Black-headed Grosbeak |
|
Photographs or tape
recordings obtained? |
four good photographs were taken by myself
Mary Mehaffey; will attach photos |
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Previous experience with
this species: |
Have seen this species 5 times in Arizona
(Miller Canyon, Mt. Lemon, Ramsy Canyon Preser!ve,French Joe Canyon, Carr
Canyon) and twice in Texas (Davis Mts, Big Bend National Park) |
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Identification
aids: |
Used National Geographic and Sibley\'s Field
Guides |
|
This
description is written from: |
Description is written from notes made after
the observation 2/20/2010 and from memory |
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Are you positive of your
identification? If not, explain: |
100% certain of id |
|
Date
and time: |
2/23/2010 6:00 pm |