What bird is this

[CM Prince]

~

The picture was taken 12/09/11, at Bentsen SP in Mission, TX.

I think it is a "Slate-throated Redstart.

But no sure, so please.



The picture is poor, and bird to far.

Thanks for all help

~

[Paul Guris]

The bill looks all wrong for any warbler. It looks like an oriole's bill; long, pointed, decurved, and it appears to be quite bluish. It also has quite a bit of bulk in the body and a fairly large head. The image is very soft and the bird is in an odd position, but I'm thinking that this is the Black-vented Oriole that was in Bentsen last winter.

Unfortunately I have no personal experience with this species, but if you do an image search it seems to be the best fit. I have seen Slate-throated Redstart in Guatemala and the shape of this bird doesn't look anything like it to me.

[CM Prince]

The bill looks all wrong for any warbler. It looks like an oriole's bill; long, pointed, decurved, and it appears to be quite bluish. It also has quite a bit of bulk in the body and a fairly large head. The image is very soft and the bird is in an odd position, but I'm thinking that this is the Black-vented Oriole that was in Bentsen last winter.

Unfortunately I have no personal experience with this species, but if you do an image search it seems to be the best fit. I have seen Slate-throated Redstart in Guatemala and the shape of this bird doesn't look anything like it to me.

Paul
Thanks for your reply
Below is a picture of the Black-vented Oriole that was at Bentsen SP last December. I took pictures of him the same day I saw this other bird with the glasses. With the glasses he was red under and black on top. He was not orange under and black on top with orange in front of the wing like the Black-vented Oriole.
I sent the picture to Laura at Cornell birds stating I through it was a Slate-throated Redstart,
this was her reply.

Laura Erickson lle24@cornell.edu

11:28 AM (1 hour ago)

to C

That's sure what it looks like to me. When did you see it? As far as I can tell, all confirmed sightings in Arizona and Texas have been in spring. This would be a very useful sighting to post to eBird, since you have photographic confirmation.

Best, Laura


thanks for looking I put the picture in another posting

[CM Prince]

Black-vented Oriole taken same day as "what bird is it"

Thanks again Paul

C M

[Paul Guris]

Obviously not the same as your Black-vented, but I still think your bird is an oriole. A bill that is long, decurved, and blue just doesn't fit Slate-throated Redstart ... or any warbler for that matter. In fact if you look at the bills in your two photos, you can see how similar they look.

I'll pass the photo around to a few people I know when I get the chance.

[Paul Guris]

CM: My buddy is in Ecuador right now, but just managed to get a peek at the photo and respond. She said that the bird in the photo is the Black-vented Oriole from Bentsen. She saw the bird multiple times, is a top-notch birder, is in the park constantly, and follows the rarities. In fact she runs the Lower Rio Grande Valley RBA.

If you'd like, I'd be glad to post it to ID-Frontiers or send it around for other opinions.

[CM Prince]

Paul

Anything that will help, go for.

I sent this email, with no reply.

Mary Gustafson

Does anyone have a list of birds seen at Bentsen SP on 12/09/11?

I was there that day took a pictures of the Black-vented Oriole.

I also took a picture of a bird at a distant, which I haven't been able to id.

I have put a picture of it on birdphotographers.net and Cornell Lab with two different answers.

Thanks again Paul for all of your time on this bird.

C M