Thanks for your reply! Your suggestion does seem more likely, since the markings don’t really convey much in favor of a WTSP hybrid. 🙂
Here are the photos.
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Aidan Lorenz
Caldwell
Daily Archives: December 9, 2020
Re: Thoughts about a Potential Dark-eyed Junco x White-throated Sparrow Hybrid?
Interesting bird. My guess is that this is a bit of leucism and/or part of the range of variation we see due to cross-breeding between junco subspecies. Every year I see a number of “oddballs” that I’ve interpreted to be something other than a “pure” Oregon or Slate-colored – and assume that this hybridization between subspecies produces plumage anomalies.
But, that’s just an educated guess … and I don’t see anything structurally that suggests a different shape than a usual junco.
Thanks,
Jay
Thoughts about a Potential Dark-eyed Junco x White-throated Sparrow Hybrid?
A little a while ago I saw a junco that peaked my attention. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on whether this bird might be a hybrid?
Here is the description from the eBird checklist:
“Maybe… An apparent Slate-colored individual was foraging near the feeding station. It had a gray head with a small, white throat patch above a gray breast. It had a white belly. It had mostly gray wings. Its secondaries were tinged with brown, and it had a small white spot near its left shoulder. It had gray sides and a gray tail. There was a little bit of brown near its vent/lower side. The white throat immediately caught my attention, and made me wonder if it was a hybrid. I did get some photos.”
I’ll add the photos in a few minutes.
Thanks for your help!
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Aidan Lorenz
Caldwell
Lake lowell
Outlet canal lower dam 9:45 2 Dunlins 1killdeer 1″ king fish”1kestral 5 Robin’s small flock whitecrown sparrowsÂ