Posted by Gary Potter (205.188.208.70) on December 05, 2002 at 00:10:37:
I love to stick out my neck on visual identification of Empidonax Flycatchers. ;) This Empid looks big headed with a smallish bill. The mandible is almost entirely pinkish, with a bit of dusky on the tip. The primary extension looks intermediate to shortish. The tail looks rather short and double rounded. There seems to be an olive wash on the gray of the upper back, and the throat looks off white. The eye ring is distinct and slightly almond shaped. I think that the big headed look and smallish impression of the bird eliminates Willow, Alder, Dusky, Gray, and the "Western" Flycatchers. Lack of yellow on the throat and belly also are points against the "Westerns" even though the eye ring resembles them. I think that this leaves us with Hammond's and Least Flycatchers. I think the bill color and lack of long primary extension eliminate Hammond's. Therefore I conclude that this is a Least Flycatcher. To me the only thing that detracts from this identification is that there does not seem to be as much contrast in the wingbars and tertial edges as I would expect on a Least, however this may be an artifact of the exposure, scan, or my computer screen. Structure and plumage characteristics seem to add up to Least Flycatcher. Let's get some good discussion on this one! I loved Empids! -- Cheers, Gary