NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/rec/birds/2103

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-01 | 1.6 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!olivea!gossip.pyramid.com!pyramid!unify!Unify.com!grp
From: [e-mail] (Greg Pasquariello)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: A New Bird!!!
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 1 Jan 93 22:34:42 GMT
References: <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail] (news admin)
Organization: Unify Corporation (Sacramento)
Lines: 33

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Lily Pond) writes:

>
> What an exciting moment! I saw a new (to me, of course) bird - one that
> though the book says it's common I've never seen or even heard of before!
>
> A Ruby-Crowned Kinglet!
>
> Cute little thing - sort of that pudgy little shape of a chickadee or a
> bushtit but bigger - though not as big as a house finch. Bit black eye with
> big white ring around it - makes the eyes look enormous! Slightly mustardy
> gray unspeckled belly, and slightly mustardy wings. And the most surprising
> and delightful irridescent pinkish-reddish-orangish stripe on the top[ of
> its head!! I thought I was seeing things at first!
>
> Right here in my backyard in Berkeley. :^)


They don't often show the red crest, so you were lucky indeed!  Sometimes
an agitated male will flare it up so that it looks like a little red flame
on his head.

If you have a field guide, look up Hutton's Vireo.  They are quite common
in California, and can often be mistaken for ruby crowned kinglet.  Notice
especially the differences in bill and head size.  Also, the vireo tends to
be less active than the kinglet.

--

--
Greg Pasquariello       [e-mail]             I've trained my chia pet to use
Unify Corporation       or            my clapper...
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