An BlackXEastern Phoebe has been feeding together with another Black-looking Phoebe (haven't got a good enough look to try to see if it is likely a hybrid also) near a long-time phoebe nesting area on my friend's property near Canon City,CO. The one I have seen well and photographed has a brown forecrown, a very unusual appearance. Last year there was a brown-fronted hybrid feeding in the area and I expect this is the same bird as this is an unusual plumage (certainly the first I have seen among the many hybrid BlackXEastern Phoebes that are found in my area). I have some photos that show the brown forecrown that I have posted on my BirdsAndNature<http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com>blog.
Before I saw this brown-fronted hybrid and its apparent mate feeding amicably near each other I had observed two Black-looking Phoebes engage in a fierce battle. It seems likely this was an effort by one phoebe to chase off another interloper from this very good feeding and nesting area. For those who are not aware of these hybrid phoebes, Black and Eastern Phoebes (which overlap their breeding territories in this area) have been interbreeding in the Canon City and Pueblo areas for some years. SeEtta Moss Canon City http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
