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Post by trudi on Jan 15, 2010 20:55:54 GMT -8
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Post by Gord on Jan 15, 2010 20:59:35 GMT -8
Im going to leave this one for Thor, Dave or someone else who has done some birding down there. I agree it is a thrasher though. Interesting how the ariculars (the feather group that does actually cover the ears) look like ears! Great to hear you had a nice trip and saw lots of neat birds! Do share some of your other photos if you get a chance.
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Post by ed on Jan 16, 2010 0:11:43 GMT -8
Fun Trip I'll bet! An interesting problem. Someone may come along and state with confidence that it is a Bendire's or a Curve-billed Thrasher. I can't do that, with little experience with these birds(have been to Arizona 4 times). The eye has fairly good colour tending to strong yellow if not towards orange, Curve-billed thrasher. The spotting tends to move onto the flanks farther back than on the Bendire's , Curve-billed again. The lighting is not perfect and pics are limited to just one moment in time....interpreting what you see is difficult. However, based on the lighter(looking) base of the bill and for me the strongest indicator, the general shape and length of the bill(lacks overall length and curve of a Curve-billed Thrasher), I would lean to a Bendire's Thrasher. It would help to know what kind of habitat it was in and what kind of general action and motion it was engaging in. Someone who knows these birds well might easily say one would never find a Bendire's in that kind of terrain or openess. It appears to be in the open in a park or on some kind of turf. That would possible swing the pics back to a Curve-billed Thrasher. Could the angle of the pictures reduce the curve of the bill resulting in the appearance of a Bendire's when in fact it is a Curve-billed?
What factors take precedent? Are there characteristics that always carry more weight than others. Colour of the eye, etc, then the fairly vivid eye colour would lean towards Curve-billed Thrasher.
Have fun ,
Ed
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Post by murraybrown on Jan 16, 2010 13:49:09 GMT -8
I agree with Ed that this is a tough call. When I first saw the picture I immediately thought Bendire's, a bird that I first saw in Portal Arizona.
And then I looked at the habitat and thought Curve-billed. Partly because in S. Arizona the Curve-billed is the "default" thrasher. You are more likely to see one of those than any other species. They show up in all kinds of natural and unnatural habitats: parks, lawns, golf courses, motel/hotel grounds, etc., whereas the Bendire's prefer more natural scrubby typical desert areas.
Then I concentrated on the bill which appears to have a bi-coloured appearance. Light at the base and darker at the tip just like some Bendire's are.
Even though I haven't seen them, I know that juvenile CBTH tend to have a shorter, straighter bill very much like the shape of the BETH.
As far as the auricular covers are concerned that is not a diagnostic feature on any of the thrashers, and is some kind of anomaly regarding molt, wind or other unknown feature.
So bottom line is, I'm not sure but I'm leaning heavily toward juvenile Curve-billed.
Hope someone else weighs in.
Murray
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Post by tmanson on Jan 16, 2010 16:35:58 GMT -8
Hi all: I agree with Murray that it is either a juvenile Curve-billed, or an adult Bendire's. I am leaning towards Bendire's. The bill shape is right, and although the eye colour looks more like Curve-billed, the light is definitely on the eye, highlighting the orangey colour.
I am not too concerned about habitat. I remember, when I was in Arizona, with Brent, and Carolynn, they found their lifer Bendire's in the parking lot of a gas station!!
I saw mine sitting on a Saguaro Cactus, which is more typical of where they are supposed to be found.
Unless, I have misidentified a lot of Curve billeds, however, I have never seen a Curve Billed with this kind of bill. The Curve-billed is typically longer, with more curve. Saw a few recently on the way to Florida, although I have to admit I was focusing on Rufous-backed Robin at the time. Cheers, Thor
Thor Manson
Oliver, B.C.
currently in Key Largo, Florida.
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Post by trudi on Jan 16, 2010 20:32:18 GMT -8
yep It is not easy ,we were on a golf course(of course) but the course was on the foothills/mountain area with alot of dessert and desert shrubbery.We saw alot of curve billed Thrashers but this one was very different in colour and the way it ran alittle like a gazelle!!Huge feet...and a very sandy colour with no apparent markings..then i had to take my shot and he was gone .......I am not sure whether golf gets in the way of birding or birding gets in the way of golf.!!
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Post by Gord on Jan 19, 2010 22:12:07 GMT -8
Hehe, Trudi, I think it's not a bad problem to have (golf or birding getting in the way of each other) ;D
I used to have a similar dilemma with fishing and birding but found a way to make both work together to the benefit of both pastimes (although I admit birding ended up taking the priority and I lost more than a few fish by not paying attention and looking at a bird flying over)
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