nSteve is right in that the bird in the picture is an adult Purple Fince, not a HY (Hatch-Year, i.e., fledged this breeding season). HY Purple Finches, whether male of female, look like females. In fact males look like females into their SY (Second Year). That's why in spring, we sometimes see "females" singing. They're SY males, doing their thing. To add to the confusion, older females beging to gain the rasberry red coloration of the males as they get older.But, they don't get as red as this bird is. And, in some species (Cardinals, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks) the females also sing ! So that would make this bird a AHY (After Hatch Year) male. How many years after HY we can't tell. He's just an old guy Purple Finch. This time of the year, adult birds (unsuccessful nesters?) will wander away from their breeding grounds early in the season. That explains why there are a bunch of sight records of these species in late summer. The young tend to stay behind further into the more appropriate season to wander. Back when they were more common, I can recall hearing Evening Grosbeaks flying over Greene County in August. They would usually turn out to be adult males. As an aside, watch for vagrant hummingbird species - particularly Rufous Hummingbirds. There has been an increase in late summer records of these western birds. There is currently a male Rufous Hummingbird visiting a feeder in Maine. Could it be that there is an eastward expansion in their distribution ? Or another instance of post breeding dispersal? Rich Guthrie New Baltimore. [email protected] http://blog.timesunion.com/birding
_____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Steve M. Chorvas Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 11:43 AM To: deidam623; [email protected] Subject: Re: [MidHudsonBirds] House or Purple Finch? The subject of your photo is a molting male Purple Finch. Possibly a HY individual, but the bird strikes me as an adult in post-nuptial molt. Steve M. Chorvas Saugerties, NY ----- Original Message ----- From: deidam623 To: [email protected] <mailto:MidHudsonBirds%40yahoogroups.com> Sent: 08/16/2010 9:02 PM Subject: [MidHudsonBirds] House or Purple Finch? Ok everyone, I need your bird expertise! :) I have been going through my photos from Friday and a photo that I originally thought was a House Finch looks more like a Purple Finch upon closer inspection. I have provided the photo for review on my blog: http://deidam.wordpress.com/2010/08/16/house-or-purple-finch/ I have never seen a Purple Finch before, so I want to make sure I identified the bird correctly. If a Purple Finch, it would be the 92nd bird I've photographed in Dutchess County, which is why I am excited for the possibility of it being a Purple Finch. Here is my reasoning: - The tail is clearly notched and appears somewhat short, which is characteristic of a Purple Finch. - The brown streaky flanks that would be on a House Finch appear to be absent, providing more proof that it could be a Purple. - The biggest thing keeping me from saying 100% that it's a Purple is the lack of red on the head and back. Sibley's shows extensive red. Is it possible that it is juvenile or am I over analyzing my subject? ------------------------------------ To visit the Mid-Hudson Birds web site go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MidHudsonBirds Post message: [email protected] <mailto:MidHudsonBirds%40yahoogroups.com> Subscribe: [email protected] <mailto:MidHudsonBirds-subscribe%40yahoogroups.com> Unsubscribe: [email protected] <mailto:MidHudsonBirds-unsubscribe%40yahoogroups.com> List owner: [email protected] <mailto:MidHudsonBirds-owner%40yahoogroups.com> Yahoo! Groups Links [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
