English and Scientific names:

Great Kiskadee  (Pitangus  sulphuratus)

Number of individuals: 

1 in alternate plumage

Locality: LOUISIANA: 

Parish unknown. 

Specific Locality:

Exact location unknown.  Bird was perched along roadway on
concrete causeway across Intracoastal waterway, south of
Lafayette, on the way to a coastal dock with boats to Marsh Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Date(s) when observed:

Saturday, February 3, 2007

Time(s) of day when observed:  

Approximately 8:30 AM

Reporting observer and address:

Dwight P. Knapik

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):

None known

Other observers who independently identified the bird(s)

None known

Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):

Clear, sunny conditions, with bird perched in open on
edge of concrete causeway beside roadway

Optical equipment: 

Bird observed with naked eyes from moving bus;
unable to stop to confirm identification

Distance to bird(s): 

Approximately  5 metres

Duration of observation:

Bird just noticed momentarily as bus drove over causeway

Habitat: 

Bird perched on concrete causeway over Intracoastal Waterway
near Gulf of Mexico coast of southern Louisiana

Behavior of bird: 

Bird perched on edge of concrete causeway, looking towards
the water, and faced away from the bus

Description:

Looking down from the bus window, the main features seen
were the reddish brown back and wings, and the yellow
side of the breast, as the bus drove by; the bird was perched
on the edge of the concrete causeway over the Intracoastal
Waterway, and facing away from the bus.  The size and shape
appeared to be somewhat kingfisher-like, but I knew it was
not a kingfisher, due to the colour combination seen.  It was
just a quick glimpse as the bus passed by, but this is the
species that makes sense.  There was no further confirmation
of this identification.

Voice:

No vocalizations heard

Similar species:

The combination of size, shape, colour caused me to think
of this species, and I didn't know of any other species that
fit the combination of  characteristics seen

Photographs or tape recordings obtained?

None obtained

Previous experience with this species: 

Species has been previously seen in the Rio Grande Valley
of south Texas on February 18, 1995 and February 21, 2005,
and interestingly enough, along the Gulf coast of Louisiana,
south of Belle Chasse, on January 21, 2001

Identification aids:

No aids used at the time of identification
after observation: National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America
(5th Edition) was used after observation to reference range and
field characteristics

This description is written from: 

This description is written from memory

Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain: 

 

I am not 100% positive of my identification due to the fleeting
nature of the observation; however, this is the species that
makes sense to me, based on the characteristics that I did
see; I am a zookeeper with the Calgary Zoo, and have been
watching birds all over the world for the past 25 years, and
do have some experience in the quick identification of birds

Reporter: 

Dwight P. Knapik

Date and time: 

February 22, 2007 at 9:00 AM