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English and Scientific names: |
Sulphur-bellied
Flycatcher
(Myiodynastes luteiventris)
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Number of individuals: |
One presumed HY (see below) |
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Locality: |
Jefferson Parish |
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Specific Locality: |
Sureway Woods (TNC Landry-LeBlanc Tract) off Post
Ln., Grand Isle |
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Date(s) when observed: |
4 October 2010 |
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Time(s) of day when observed: |
~1:45 – 1:50 PM, 3:15 – 3:17 PM CDT |
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Reporting observer and address: |
Devin Bosler Lancaster,
PA 17601 |
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Other observers accompanying
reporter who also identified the bird(s): |
none |
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Other observers who
independently identified the bird(s) |
Eric Liffmann (originally
found bird around 8AM), Malcolm Mark Swan, Alan Kneidel,
Mason Cline |
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Light conditions (position
of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): |
Partly cloudy sky with optimal midday sunlight. Sun angle high and backlighting not a
factor. |
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Optical equipment: |
Zeiss Victory FL 8x42, Kowa TSN 881 Angled 88mm scope w/
20-60x optical zoom, Canon Powershot SD1100 IS digital camera (all equipment
in excellent condition) |
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Distance to bird(s): |
within ca.
10 meters |
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Duration of observation: |
~ 5 – 8 min. |
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Habitat: |
Disturbed,
semi-open, mature live oak-hackberry-honeylocust coastal woodlot w/ dense yaupon-elderberry-pokeweed understory
and brushy baccharis-goldenrod-lantana edges. |
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Behavior of bird: |
Actively fly-catching (primarily on Odonates) from
subcanopy and canopy, occasionally from open, exposed perches on dead
limbs/branches. Silent throughout encounter. Observed in flight during foraging
attempts. |
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Description: |
Large, distinctive flycatcher with bold facial pattern and
heavily streaked underparts.
Upperparts dark brown with pale wing edgings. Extensive yellow wash on underparts with
heavy, dark streaking on sides and flanks.
Strikingly patterned head with dark mask and malar stripes contrasting
with white supercilium, moustachial mark, and throat. Coarser, mottled dark streaking on whitish neck-sides
and throat. Dark gray-brown
crown. Relatively long, heavy, mostly
dark bill with pale base to mandible.
Pale flesh gape. Uppertail
coverts and proportionately short tail entirely rufous. Dark brown irides. Grayish tarsus and feet. Apparent hatch-year (partial molt to first basic) with
duller and paler upperparts than adult, replaced inner primaries and retained
juvenal outer primaries (perhaps worn cinnamon-buffy edging), retained
juvenal tapered rectrices, and juvenal-like pale fleshy gape. |
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Voice: |
Silent. |
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Similar species: |
Superficially similar to Streaked Flycatcher (Myiodynastes maculatus) but
eliminated on basis of plumage/bare part characteristics. Streaked Flycatcher lacks dark chin
connection of malar stripes, possesses heavier bill with paler lower mandible,
and whiter underparts. |
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Photographs or tape
recordings obtained? |
Yes, digiscoped by Devin
Bosler. Yes, attached. |
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Previous experience with
this species: |
Fairly familiar with this species from multiple trips to
se. AZ. No field experience with
Streaked Flycatcher, however. |
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Identification aids: |
National Geographic Complete Birds of N.A. (Alderfer et al. 2005).
|
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This description is written from: |
notes made during the observation,
notes made after the observation, memory. |
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Are you positive of your
identification? If not, explain: |
Yes, very positive. |
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Date and time: |
10 October 2010 9:30 PM CDT |