Date: 3/13/13 1:09 pm
From: jugbayjs <JugBayJS...>
Subject: [MDBirding] Re: The Swan at Patuxent Wildlife Refuge in Prince George's Co.


A great learning opportunity! As requested, I reviewed my original eBird submittal, plus additional photos, and have revised my eBird report for this swan. I originally reported as a Trumpeter, but have reconsidered and think it may be a hybrid, based on the following observations (my own, all included in my revised eBird report):

- forehead shape is intermediate; I think it is more like a V and TRUS in my pics, but the V is not prominent with a sharp point like a pure adult TRUS;

- head shape is intermediate - at some angles it appeared to me to have a slight angle to top of head, but in most it appears to be more rounded; based on my pics I'd give the overall impression of head shape to TUSW;

- neck posture is not conclusive; some angles it appears to be more like TRUS (neck kinked back at the base, so it appears to rise from forepart of the back rather than from the very front of the body as in TUSW); but some it does not;

- eye/bill relation appears to be intermediate but is closer to TUSW; the eye appears to be somewhat distinct from bill but not strongly distinct; the pinched look in front of the eye leans toward TUSW but I think may be intermediate;

- I think bill structure appears to be mostly good for pure TRUS (very large size, appears to be 2+ inches from nostrils to tip of bill, straight slope from forehead to bill tip);

- it has a red border on lower mandible (always on TRUS, but may also be on some TUSW); no yellow mark (teardrop) on bill/lore area (usually present on TUSW but absent on some);

- the overall proportions - inconclusive, I only saw it swimming. I would like to see it standing, and would like to see its feet size and proportion to legs, etc.;

- tail position - inconclusive? Mikey's post mentioned the tail is often held in a stronger V shape reminiscent of a grackles tail on TRUS, whereas TUSW often hold theirs flat. The pics I have show it to be flat, but I looked at many other TRUS pictures and did not see this feature, so I don't know what to think of it as a mark.

Best regards!
Jeff Shenot
Croom MD

On Monday, March 11, 2013 12:44:46 PM UTC-4, Jim Stasz wrote:
> Hi Folks!
>
> You may have noticed that the eBird reviewers have stopped validating the
> reports of a Trumpeter Swan at the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge in Prince George's
> Co.� As noted in an earlier post, there are things that are not consistent
> with a Trumpeter Swan. An alternative hypothesis is that the bird is a hybrid > Trumpeter and Tundra, also know as a Trumpling Swan.

[snip}

> I would ask that if You have seen the bird and entered it into eBird to
> review your report and provide the reason to support the identification.

[snip}

> Jim

--