Re: Black-throated Blue females ?

Kathy Klimkiewicz (Kathy_Klimkiewicz@usgs.gov)
Fri, 2 Oct 1998 16:11:32 -0600


     Young male Black-throated Blue Warblers are like adult males only they 
     have covert contrast and a green edging rather than blue on the 
     primary coverts and the flight feathers. Also, the blue is often green 
     washed in young birds.
     
     Cheers,
     Kathy Klimkiewicz
     Laurel MD


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Subject: Black-throated Blue females ?
Author:  mdosprey@ARI.Net at NBS-Internet-Gateway
Date:    10/1/98 4:39 PM


I've noticed this year what I thought were female Black-throated Blue Warblers 
with a white edge along the lower front edge of the wing.  Birds that are 
brownish olive in color with a white primary patch.  This morning I saw 6 BTB 
females, and two of them had this white edge.  Since the adult male has this 
white edge, I'm wondering if the birds I'm seeing with this white edge on the 
wing are in fact the young males. I looked in "Warblers of the Americas" by 
Curson, Quinn and Beadle and their depiction of a first year male doesn't show 
it.
     
Does anyone know the answer to this ?
     
Thanks in advance.
     
Good Birding,
     
Darius Ecker (dariuse@abs.net)
     
Columbia, Maryland