Tropical Mockingbird plus Northern Mockingbird nested at/near Sabine Woods...
Photo via Andy Bankert - and that, my friends, is a young hybrid!
Andy asked me to pass it along to Texbirds and the image wasn't working on facebook, so this will be linked... what a great shot.
Edit: A question of fledgie numbers was sent to Andy, his text response:
"Only found one but the adult moved around a lot so probably more."
Edit 2: I'm getting emails asking for directions. I've not been to Sabine Woods in a few years, so please check the archives of Texbirds for that... and if you do go out there, PLEASE give the birds plenty of room. Raising kids is tough. Call out people who get too close; it makes the rest of us look bad.
Northical or Tropern?
ReplyDeleteI like Northical, but if there are two, maybe one of each?
DeleteWell, this is awesome. They're living the American dream.
ReplyDeleteWas the Tropical Mocker male or female?
Tropical was incubating, but I don't recall offhand which incubates, or if they share duties... not sure if the list speculated or decided or what. Very cool record!
DeleteTropical was female. Observed mating activity where Tropical was obviously the receiver. And there are definitely two fledglings.
DeleteJohn Haynes
Port Arthur, TX
Well, this is going to be an identification nightmare when this year's brood mates with more Northerns and then cross-backs et cetera.
ReplyDeleteIf they live long enough, and if they're fertile. But the odds are pretty decent for both, so I hope DNA work and banding is done ASAP for further study!
Delete