[birding] Indigo Bunting (or hybrid?) at E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area, Benton County

[Joel Geier]

Hello folks,

Doug Robinson pointed out to me that an after-hatch-year bunting should
not have yellowish gape flanges. It also seems that, to show any blue,
the bird would have to be older than hatch-year.

To be clear, this my impression of yellow in the gape was a fleeting
impression that I got as the bird turned its head one time. I wondered
if it might be due to yellow at that base of the mandible, or if I was
really seeing the gape coloration. 

The photo on the McGill University website that I referred to in my
previous posting shows an after-hatch-year Indigo Bunting in a similar
stage of molt, which also  shows some yellow at the base of the lower
mandible.

I don't know if it is possible to rule out a hybrid Indigo x Bunting
based on this much. It seems like those are not uncommon where these two
species come together, so probably should be considered as a
possibility.

Happy birding,
Joel

--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis