[obol] Buntings at Basket Slough

[Kit Larsen]

George Grier, Cynthia Pappas, and I visited Basket Slough this 
morning to search for the INDIGO BUNTING that has been reported 
recently. We did find the bird, near the "cherry tree snag" as 
reported before. It was in the presence of a male LAZULI BUNTING and 
a female bunting. Based on the behavior we observed, we suggest that 
the Indigo and the female are paired. The Indigo acted aggressively 
towards the Lazuli, driving it off seveal times and chirping as if to 
protect its territory. On a few occasions, the Indigo and the female 
bunting both flew down to the same location in the blackberries, 
where they remained hidden for a few minutes. Once it appeared that 
the female was carrying food down to the blackberries.

I got a few photos of the Indigo and of the female. I wonder that the 
Indigo might be a hybrid (with Lazuli), based on the light (almost 
white) underparts. I would appreciate others' opinions on this.

http://uoregon.edu/~klars/indbunting1.jpg
http://uoregon.edu/~klars/indbunting2.jpg

Kit Larsen
Eugene