Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Bird a Day: Yellow-breasted Chat

If you have ever felt out of place, like you just didn't belong, then you know what it feels like to be a Yellow-breasted Chat.  These birds have confused ornithologists and taxonomists for decades.  They have been shuffled back and forth between the wood warbler family Parulidae and the mimic family (including Northern Mockingbird and Brown Thrasher) Mimidae so many times I am beginning to lose count.  The latest findings are that it is not a warbler and may belong in its own family.  It is already the only species in its genus Icteria.  Regardless of their taxonomy, Yellow-breasted Chats are lovely birds, one of my favorites.  As you can see below they have a bright yellow chest and throat, olive-green back, white spectacles, and a long tail.  Their song is a combination of chatter, notes and slurs, seemingly random in order.  Watch one singing in the video below.

Yellow-breasted Chat



15 comments:

Kristi Hines said...

Love the video as always! What a sweet little voice!

theconstantwalker said...

A lovely bird to see.
Many thanks for sharing.

mick said...

A beautiful bird - no matter what the experts end up calling it!

Unknown said...

They are beauties!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

FAB said...

A very colourful Chat with a delightful song.
Over here the 'woodland' warblers are far less colourful .. just 'little brown jobs'.

fjällripan said...

What a lovely bird! Great captured to :)

MaineBirder said...

Great photo and video of this beautiful bird! Awesome that you captured its call.

eileeninmd said...

Great sighting of the Chat and capture. Fantastic photo!

Springman said...

Your Chat is quite a bird, I can see why your enamoured with it. Isn't funny how the human animal is so infatuated with catagorizing everything? I am good with this lovely bird having its own genus!

Carletta said...

Lovely color on the Chat!
I hope it ends up with it's own genus.
Love your slideshow - great shots!

Bill S. said...

Great picture. They should be here in a week or two. Keep them safe for me.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful bird! His colors are brilliant. Great video!

Sondra said...

Sometimes I think we (birders) should order and cease and dissest of changing the name, and family of our birds..lol
I have an old NATGO bird book and I refuse to buy a new one!! WOW what eye candy your photos are and I enjoyed the vid also.

Crafty Green Poet said...

what a lovely bird!

Pat Ulrich said...

Such a lovely bird -- great shot and cool video!

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