| One of the most interesting neotropical bird i.d. challenegs is sorting through the half-dozen or so flycatchers that superficially resemble the bird pictured here (the species involved actually belong to 5 different genera). Call notes are one of the best means of identification, and sound was indeed part of my initial i.d. of this bird, but the photo also offers physical clues. The short bill pretty much narrows it down to either Social or Rusty-margined, but Social Flycatcher generally seems paler on the wings (with faint wingbars) and on the ear coverts than the bird pictured here. This Rusty-margined Flycatcher was filmed at the Ammo Dump Ponds near Gamboa, Panama, in August 2003. |
| In July of 2005 I stayed for several days in a rustic cabin in the community of La Rica, within the boundaries of Parque Nacional Omar Torrijos, generally referred to as El Copé, after the nearest town of any note. It rained almost every afternoon of my stay, so I did my best to observe whatever birds passed by the fields and trees around the cabin. On one such damp afternoon, the Rusty-margined Flycatcher pictured below perched at length on a nearby fence post. Perhaps its feathers were a bit ruffled by the inclement weather, but for whatever reason I saw for the first time the orange crown of the species (a trait it shares with Social Flycatcher). It's nice when a familiar species has something new to offer! |
| Copyright© Ken Allaire. All rights reserved. Reproduction, modification, or republication of the images or content contained herein without authorization for any purpose or to produce any product is a violation of the copyright herein and is strictly prohibited. |