Idaho Bird Records Committee Rarities Report Form

Species: Magnolia Warbler

Reporter: Jay Carlisle

jaycarlisle@boisestate.edu

Other Observers: Jean Seymour, Heriberto Verdugo-Munguia, Kris Ohlenkamp, Lila Tauzer, and Marissa Bushcow (IBO field assistants/volunteers)

Date Report Prepared: 10-27-08

Date Sighting Occurred: 9-21-08 (capture); recaptured on 9-22 and 9-23-08

Locality of Observation: Lucky Peak (Boise Foothills), Ada Co.

Habitat: mixed Douglas fir forest and mountain deciduous shrub at 5900’

Conditions: partly cloudy, cool, and calm

Did you take notes? not at all

Did you consult a field guide or other reference work? during the observation

What guide(s) or reference(s) did you consult?

Pyle’s 1997 ‘The Identification Guide to North American Birds’, Sibley, National Geographic, Peterson’s Warbler guide

Description: A Dendroica warbler with a greenish back; grayish head; 2 white wing bars; yellow undersides; whitish undertail coverts; black streaks on flanks; and broad white tail spots across most tail feathers (closer to base of tail than on other Dendroica species).

Based on plumage & skull ossification, this bird was identified as an immature of unknown sex (but likely male based on black streaking on flanks and broad dark centers of back & uppertail feathers). Wing chord 59mm, tail 50mm, body mass 9.4grams.

Behavior: this was a bird captured as part of a standardized bird migration study

How and when did you positively identify the bird, and what clinched the identification for you? Clinching features included the tail pattern combined with the gray head, greenish back, and yellow underparts.

How did you eliminate similar species, and what were they? Magnolia is superficially similar to several grayish above/yellow below Dendroica species and some immatures can be confused with Prairie Warbler (which has no hint of a breast band and a paler head). Other than Prairie, only Kirtland’s has extensive yellow below but it has more streaking (above and below) and a different tail pattern. Adults could possibly also be confused with ‘Myrtle’ (Yellow-rumped) Warblers based on the facial pattern but this species/subspecies lacks extensive yellow below, has a different tail pattern, and does not have a greenish back.

Experience with this species (and similar species): I have observed tens to hundreds (only a few Kirtland’s) of Magnolia and Prairie and thousands of Yellow-rumped warblers.

General birding experience: extensive; 14+ years in US and Latin America

Were photo(s), video, and/or audio obtained by you? (If yes, please include or attach) Yes, see attached pics by myself & Heriberto.

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Photos are resized and one is cropped from originals.  No other editing was done.