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Posted by Bill Pranty on 18:56:20 01/19/07
In Reply to: help w/ oriole please posted by tricia again
An interesting bird.
My initial guess was also Spot-breasted, based on the black feathering molting in the face and lower throat -- and seemingly nowhere else on the head (but it's still early in the season). The mention of a presumed pair and juvenile probably also contributed to the knee-jerk reaction of Spot-breasted.
But the bold white median coverts ("upper wingbar") with just a tinge of orange has me thinking that perhaps this is a second-calendar-year male Baltimore Oriole.
Unless the illustrations in the latest Sibley and NGS guides are wrong (and they may well be), Spot-breasted Orioles never show white median coverts; they should be wholly orange.
I welcome comments from the locals, of whom most have seen a lot more immature Spot-breastes than I.
Best regards,
Bill Pranty
Bayonet Point, Florida
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