[cobirds] Canon City Flycatcher

Greetings All,

Identifying the mystery flycatcher is beyond my capability. Indeed, if one goes mark by mark, each character (perhaps) fits within the range of Greater Pewee, but many are at the extreme, making such a combination unlikely. 

First of all, initially mistaking a Greater Pewee for an Empid would be like mistaking a Whimbrel for a Dunlin, possible, but rather unlikely. Greater Pewees are long elegant birds of some size and (outside of overall color) are to my eye more similar to a Great-crested Flycatcher in shape than an Empid.

Secondly, I am exceptionally wary of using photos taken at poor lighting and odd angles as a basis for ID. I have all sorts of photos that might lead one to ID a bird as belonging to the wrong family or order, not to mention the wrong genus or species.

So, the quality of the evidence involved here is limited in my estimation, and thus I would be hard pressed to state anything definitive. However, my impression of the bird is that the bill is proportionately too wide, tail proportionately too short for a Greater Pewee. The crest looks funky in shape and position for a Greater Pewee, almost more like that of an Elaenia. I am certain that photos that show any one of these features on a Greater Pewee can be found, but all 3 in the same bird?

Also, this bird's plumage (on the head anyway) looks tattered, which may account for some of its peculiar appearance and can effect bill size as feathers wear away from the base of the bill, exposing more bill, and thus making the bill look larger than it would were the bird in good plumage.

So... do I feel comfortable saying the bird is NOT a Greater Pewee -- NO

Do I feel comfortable saying its not a young pewee or maybe an OS Flycatcher -- NO

Finally, since the bird's bill seems open much of the time, was it vocalizing??? Obviously, vocalizations would make the ID somewhat easier.

Best Wishes

Steven Mlodinow

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