[Tweeters] "Yellow-Bellied Tit" hybrid at Kah Tai Lagoon

[J Christian Kessler]

just a thought experiment to consider some recent sightings:

I must admit to being a little puzzled by this continued conversation.  my
search of eBird finds no record of a Yellow-bellied Tit in North America.
I recognize that there may well be a record or two not included in eBird,
but it would seem that the probability of a Yellow-bellied Tit in North
America in order to contribute to a hybrid, or a hybrid bird making it from
east Asia, is vanishingly small.

And while the Red-flanked Bluetail has been well documented and plainly
here, I note that the previous sightings on eBird are in West Coast cities
except for two inland western sightings, leading me to wonder if these are
not either ship-assisted birds or released/escaped "pet" birds.  Still a
very cool bird, but have to wonder how it got here.

I'd be interested in others' thoughts on either issue.

Chris Kessler
Seattle


On Sun, Mar 20, 2022 at 8:42 AM Garrett Haynes <garrettwhaynes at me.com>
wrote:


> Dan,

>

> Yes, that seems like a more likely explanation and the color is similar.

> That would be my first hypothesis then is staining from pollen or something

> else, and hybridization would need some much heavier evidence. The bird

> would probably have to be caught and examined, at least physically, and

> samples taken to test genetics to confirm hybridization of that sort.

>

> However, if it were truly a hybrid like that somehow that would be pretty

> amazing. Makes me think of the hybrid warbler I saw in Boston that I think

> was a cross between a black throated blue and a bay breasted warbler. I

> watched it from within 10 feet and heard it singing and everything. It had

> features of both. I ran back to get my camera and when I came back it was

> gone. C'est la vie.

>

> Garrett Haynes

> Auburn, WA

>

> Sent from my iPhone

>

> On Mar 20, 2022, at 4:58 AM, Dan Reiff <dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com> wrote:

>

> Hello Garret,

> Could the breast feathers be temporarily covered in yellowish pollen?

> Note the similar colors for the pollen on vegetation around it.

> Thanks,

> Dan

>

> Sent from my iPhone

>

> On Mar 19, 2022, at 11:22 PM, Garrett Haynes <garrettwhaynes at me.com>

> wrote:

>

> 

> Hello Tweeters,

>

> I am wondering what people think about the bird reported as a

> "yellow-bellied tit" at Kah Tai Lagoon on March 13th. The birder posits

> that it may be a hybrid chestnut-backed chickadee x yellow-bellied tit due

> to its having the normal chestnut-backed chickadee features in addition to

> having a yellow belly. I have no idea about the possibility of a hybrid

> like this occurring, sounds highly unlikely to me seeing as yellow-bellied

> tits are in Asia, but I am wondering what explanation there may be for this

> bird having such a yellow belly?

>

> Here is the link to the eBird report:

> https://ebird.org/checklist/S105173896

>

> Garrett Haynes

> Auburn, WA

>

> Sent from my iPhone

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-- 
"moderation in everything, including moderation"
Rustin Thompson
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