[MDOsprey] Re: [] Yellow-billed Loon?
Charlie Muise (cmmbirds@yahoo.com)
Thu, 4 Nov 1999 15:34:41 -0800 (PST)
Greg,
Thanks a lot for the info. These 2 species seem
to have subtle differences to me. I am glad I
spotted the bill shape!
Charlie
As for the bill coloration, Elizabeth disagreed
slightly with me, so the fact that it was diving
may have something to do with that, but we're in
agreement that it was yellow and not pale. The
books I have don't show ANY loon to have the bill
coloration I observed, so perhaps I got a glimmer
at the wrong time, or perhaps this bird is
slightly irregularly colored in that regard.
Thanks again,
Charlie
--- Greg Miller <hawk-owl@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Charlie,
>
> Regrettably, I didn't get a chance to go look
> for the
> Yellow-billed Loon last evening or this
> morning.
> Yesterday, my battery was dead and I was
> without a
> vehicle.
>
> Away from any books, I can't tell you which
> guides
> show that first year birds often have pale,
> yellowish
> bills, but always have dark coloration near the
> tip,
> particular on the culmen. The amount of gray
> on the
> bill varies widely. Some Common Loons will
> show only
> a small mark on the top of the tip of the bill.
> The
> pale bill can look very much like Yellow-billed
> Loon
> depending on lighting conditions.
>
> Next to a Common Loon, the Yellow-billed will
> be
> larger overall with a thicker neck, a different
> shaped
> head, and an awkwardly large bill that it
> habitually
> holds at an upward angle.
>
> I have not seen anything documenting dark
> coloration
> on any part of the bill on a Yellow-billed
> Loon. If
> anyone out there has writings to the contrary,
> I'd be
> most interested.
>
> -Greg Miller
> Hollywood, MD
>
>
> =====
>
>
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=====
******************************
Charlie Muise, Naturalist
Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary
Maryland, USA
cmmbirds@yahoo.com
"Leave the gun; take the cannoli"
******************************
__________________________________________________
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