SY Male?

brent · Wed Mar 13, 2019 6:15 pm

Hi Every one,

Could this be my first SY male (left one)? What do you think? I saw him for the first time a couple of days ago and was close enough to take his picture today. Let me know your opinion so if it is I will make a report.

Thanks,

Brent

kim w. · Wed Mar 13, 2019 6:38 pm

Sure looks that way to me.

GFB · Wed Mar 13, 2019 6:42 pm

I'm just guessing but to me he is a she. looks like an adult female.

tboydshirt · Wed Mar 13, 2019 6:58 pm

I vote no.

brent · Wed Mar 13, 2019 7:18 pm

Thanks every one. I guess that when in doubt don't. I'll hold off on reporting it but it will be interesting to hear other opinions.

Brent

deancamp · Wed Mar 13, 2019 7:28 pm

The part I am focused on is the purple feathers below its leg...

Jeff

kim w. · Wed Mar 13, 2019 7:44 pm

Jeff
I agree with you. Thats what I was looking at.

brent · Wed Mar 13, 2019 7:48 pm

Good point Jeff. I compared this picture to the ones provided by PMCA for identifying SYs and ASYs and this one looks similar to the SY male. Of course they do have some similarities which makes it hard when identifying. Thanks for your in put.

Brent

Dave Reynolds · Wed Mar 13, 2019 7:50 pm

Looks like a adult female to me.... Sorry...

Dave

brent · Wed Mar 13, 2019 8:16 pm

Thanks Dave. PMCA does say that SY males can be tricky to identify - easily confused with adult females. Thanks every one!

lynnh · Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:31 am

Asy female.

Robert · Thu Mar 14, 2019 3:35 pm

Looks like an ASY female to me the SY will be showing up a little later

deancamp · Thu Mar 14, 2019 3:41 pm

Can some of the experienced landlords use this bird as an example and explain what characteristics you are looking at the most for identification?

Jeff

JHunter · Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:47 pm

Nice shot!

John Barrow · Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:17 pm

I would call this bird an SY male, earlier in the molt process then some seen in the days ahead. I believe some of the black neck feathers will darken out in the coming weeks, and the black spot under its right leg, as well as a less defined spot under the left is indicative of a male. Plus the timing is right for earliest SYs to be reported in sparse numbers along the Gulf coastal region. Another tell would be a clicking sound at the end of its call, a male behavior.
For a rare and really interesting observation and challenge, take a look down the recently posted page at one of the birds we hosted in Port O'Connor in 2007 and 2008. Sy male? Actually a melanistic female or gynandromorph (half male, half female) bird. Mated with a male both years and successfully fledged a brood each year.

http://purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=35078

deancamp · Fri Mar 15, 2019 6:08 am

Very interesting, do the sy birds continue to gain more color throughout the season or does that only happen with another molt?

Jeff

Fri Mar 15, 2019 12:40 pm

Sometimes the tiebreaker in ID'ing these darker ASY females from SY males is the "croak call" that's only done by males.

https://www.purplemartin.org/purple-mar ... lizations/
The sound file is at the bottom. It's the male call with the clicking sound at the end.

phldave · Fri Mar 15, 2019 3:45 pm

That one is difficult, looking at the tail chevrons and the blotchy breast I would almost vote SY male. Have you heard it's call yet?

brent · Fri Mar 15, 2019 6:08 pm

I have not heard it call but what made me think that it may be a SY male was that it was much lighter than the ASY females that have arrived. Originally I thought it was a SY female until I was able to see the underside clearly, as seen in the photo. Interesting to have so many differing opinions. I don't want to post that it is SY male on the scout report since there is so much uncertainty. Great responses from every one!

Brent