Date: 3/27/25 12:46 pm From: Shaibal Mitra <Shaibal.Mitra...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Gray-breasted Martin on Staten Island
The Progne martin found by Anthony Ciancimino on Tuesday at the New Creek watershed, Staten island, continued today, perched on wires at Slater Boulevard x Nugent Avenue as Zach has already reported, then feeding over the marsh to the west, visible from the end of Nugent. These sites are just to the northwest of the eBird hotspot pin where Anthony first saw the bird, and where many checklists with descriptions and media are conveniently aggregated:
In all respects this bird appears consistent with Gray-breasted Martin. Other Progne are excluded most confidently by size, as all the other taxa are substantially larger than this bird, but also in some cases by one or more of voice, overall appearance, and the relatively short length of the tail fork. Finally, this abundant, widespread, and highly migratory species has significant potential as a vagrant to the Northeast, as suggested by a prior occurrence in a very similar context, at Prospect Park, on 1 April 2021 and a few days thereafter.