[Tweeters] A different Icterid

[Dennis Paulson]

Hi Denis,

That’s a male Red-winged Blackbird with a mutation that seems to creep up again and again. I know of at least four birds over the years that have looked like that, two of which I think were mentioned in tweeters as birds of interest. We have a beautiful specimen in the Puget Sound Museum of Natural History. I’ll send you a couple of photos that you can match your bird against.

Dennis Paulson
Seattle


> On Nov 12, 2023, at 12:33 PM, Denis DeSilvis <avnacrs4birds at outlook.com> wrote:

> 

> Hi Tweeters,

> I spotted a weird-looking Icterid today behind the house. The silhouette was like that of a Red-winged Blackbird, especially with the tail-flipping. Through bins and scope, I noted the outer tail feathers were white, with only a few central feathers dark. The white was symmetrical, with the same number of feathers white on each side of the center. The breast was orange (!). The wings were dark brownish with light streaks. At one point the bird “fluffed” and I glimpsed reddish lesser coverts.

>  

> With the lesser coverts being that color, I think this was a Red-winged Blackbird. However, with the white outer tail feathers and the definite orange breast, this was a real puzzler. Could it have been a hybrid of some sort? No Icterid I know of has the outer white tail feathers.

>  

> If anyone has ideas concerning this bird, please let me know. I will try to take a photo of it if it stays around the property.

>  

> Thanks, and may all your birds be identified,

> Denis

>  

> Denis DeSilvis

> Avnacrs 4 birds at outlook dot com

>  

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