Date: 2/19/25 4:29 pm From: Hugh Ranson via groups.io <zonetail1...> Subject: [sbcobirding] Request for Chat Photos
Here's a copy of something I posted today on Advanced Birding, a Facebook
group:
Matt Brady found and photographed a rare-in-winter Yellow-breasted Chat in
Carpinteria, CA, on 12/15/24. At the time he noted that the white
submoustachial stripe (called malar in Sibley) was short and narrow, and he
raised the possibility that this could be an eastern bird, subspecies
virens. After a few attempts at trying to find and photograph the bird--as
you know, not easy with this species--I managed some reasonable shots
yesterday, 2/18/25. As you can see, the white stripe is quite narrow and
very short, stopping under the eye.
I went home and did a little more research. I looked at all the winter
records from California on ebird, wondering if wintering birds would show
this short, narrow stripe, but most that were photographed well showed a
broad, long white stripe going beyond the eye, typical of auricollis, the
western subspecies. There were a couple of birds where I couldn't quite
tell the extent of the stripe.
There are a number of subtle differences between virens and auricollis that
would be difficult to assess in the field. I'm wondering if the length and
width of the submoustachial stripe might be diagnostic.
I have so far received two responses, from James Lukenda and David Sibley.
Here's Lukenda's response:
I’m not sure there is enough here to determine subspecies with full
confidence. The white malar does look quite short, but it’s difficult to
assess its width, whether it takes up the whole malar or not, especially
given the compressed posture of the bird. The back of the bird looks pretty
gray for virens to me, though the lighting could play a factor. Finally, a
better angle could help assess tail length which can be used as a
supporting feature as well (virens averaging shorter tail than auricollis).
Looks promising to me but not diagnostic from these photos in my opinion.
And here is Sibley's response:
I think the malar color is quite reliable, and this looks typical of
Eastern. Western birds generally have a narrowing white band extending back
under the ear coverts, and often a few white flecks wrapping around behind
the ear coverts. I wouldn't say it's 100% until more research to get a
better idea of the range of variation in each subspecies, but looks very
promising. Nothing else is likely to help in the field. Eastern averages a
little greener/browner on the back and flanks, and shorter-tailed, but I
don't think those could be judged reliably in the field.
Here's my request: has anyone out there got good photos of this typically
skulking bird? If not, this post might spur you to get some good shots, if
you can find the bird, that is. It's being seen in the willows just to the
west of the Painted Bunting stakeout spot.
