All Tyrannus have a "hidden crown."
On May 13, 2023, at 9:03 PM, Brad Shine <sonofshine@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
This email originated outside TTU. Please exercise
caution<https://askit.ttu.edu/phishing>!
I know Eastern, Couch’s, Tropical, and Gray Kingbirds also have red-crowns :)
Unsure about the other southern kingbird species though!
On Sat, May 13, 2023 at 8:29 PM James Crites
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hi All,
I went out this afternoon during a break in the rain in a futile attempt to see
some of the rare birds being seen recently at Atzlan Park. I did not see those
birds, but the Western Kingbirds were displaying their red crowns because the
top of their heads were wet. I have seen these red crowns before, but it had
been so long since I had observed this feature, I had forgotten they had red
crowns-see photo below. None of my guide books mention this red crown. I
wonder in keeping with names of other birds like orange-crowned warbler,
gold-crowned warbler, ruby-crowned kinglet, golden-crowned kinglet,
golden-crowned sparrow, yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron,
violet-crowned hummingbird, and the white-crowned pigeon that the Western
Kingbird should be named the Red-crowned Kingbird. Yes, “western” in the name
is accurate in suggesting that this kingbird is found generally in the western
part of North America. I guess I like consistency. Oh well, just a weird
thing to think about (and share) on a dark, cloudy, rainy evening.
Jim Crites (a Grey-crowned Human)
Sent from my iPad