CLOSED: Phoebe ID Please

This bird was found in the San Diego area and I can't tell if it's a Say's or an Eastern Phoebe.

May be a Western Kingbird Duc. Could also be a Cassin's Kingbird.

This message was edited Dec 29, 2009 4:33 PM

The orange buff on the belly says Say's. Oh, and the wingbars.

Greg

This message was edited Dec 29, 2009 1:34 PM

Western Kingbird for me; the white greater covert tips indicate it is a juvenile / first-winter. Note the white sides on the tail, white throat (grey in Say's Phoebe) and bill too stout for a phoebe (they have a fairly phoeble bill ;-).

Resin

Burd and Resin,

You won me over on the Western Kingbird. Although winter WEKI are extremely rare in CA, the fact that juvenile's do show wingbars early into their second year works for this bird. As does the throat color and the outer white rectrice (tail feather). When I just take a quick glance at the photo it looks like a kingbird as it doesn't have that peaked appearance to the crown that I see on Say's.

Good call!

Greg

In the summer I see Western Kingbirds daily. They often use one of my feeder hooks for a bugging perch. Come to the yard when they hear my lawnmower. It's a Western Kingbird.

Thanks to each of you for your help. We do have the Western Kingbirds here and I hadn't thought of that.