Idaho Bird Records Committee Rarities Report Form

Species: Rose-breasted Grosbeak, female

Reporter:
Cliff Weisse
4125 Beaver Springs Rd.
Island Park, ID 83429
cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com

Other Observers: None    

Date of Observation: 5/26/09
Date Report Prepared:5/27/09

Locality of Observation: Camas NWR, along Camas Creek west of headquarters, a.k.a. Redstart Lane.

Habitat: Riparian oasis in extensive desert/farm region.

Conditions:  Sunny with light wind.  Distance ranged from directly below with the bird 20-30 feet off the ground to 35 yards.  Observed in sun and shade over a period of about five minutes at about 10:15 AM.  Binoculars used are Nikon Premier 10x42.  Ability to discern color was excellent.

Did you take notes…  No

Did you consult a field guide or other reference work?  No

Description: This individual had a chunky body, large head and stout bill of a Pheucticus grosbeak.  It was brown above with two white wing bars formed by white tips of wing coverts.  The wing bars appeared more likd a string of dots than a solid bar.  Head was dark brown with strongly contrasting white supercilium and white median crown stripe.  Bill was very thick at the base with a decurved culmen and it was pale, like dirty or dingy cream colored.  Undertail coverts were white with a few dark streeaks, belly was white, breast was white (no hint of orange or buff on this bird) with extensive, sharply defined, wide blackish streaks that extended completely across the breast.  The streaking was equally heavy in the center as on the sides of the breast.  The streaking continued onto the flanks.

Behavior: The bird was associating closely with a singing male Black-headed Grosbeak, mostly staying within ten feet of the male even in flight.  The male BHGR moved three times while I was watching and the female RBGR followed closely behind as if they were paired up.  I did not see the BHGR acknowledge the RBGR at any time, he seemed to ignore her.  No vocalizations were heard.  

How and when did you positively identify the bird, and what clinched the identification for you?  I heard the BHGR singing and saw a second bird very close to it with naked eye.  It was close enough to identify the male without binoculars.  When the female came into view I checked her through binocs and the breast and head were visible and I immediately recognized it as a RBGR.  

How did you eliminate similar species, and what were they?  The only possible confusion is with female Black-headed Grosbeak.  The white breast with no hint of orange or buff and extensive crisp streaks across the center of the breast eliminate Black-headed Grosbeak, as well as any other species of North American grosbeak.

Experience with this species: I've seen Rose-breasted Grosbeak, both males and females, in NJ, NY, MI, and males in ID.  I see lots of Black-headed Grosbeaks annually and study females at every opportunity.

General experience birding: 16 years.

Were photo(s), video, and/or audio obtained by you?  Yes. (see below)

These photos were taken on 26 May 2009 at Camas NWR using an Olympus C2100 digital camera.  They have been cropped and resized and in some cases lightened.  Click on any image to view original photo.