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swallow ID question



Anybody have any tips for easily distinguishing Northern Rough-winged
Swallow from immature Tree Swallow? 

Even after looking at Sibley, I find this to be a tough one. On the
Chapel Hill spring count, which I did in my kayak, I sorted through
swallows at the north end of Jordan Lake. Finally decided that the
brown-backed ones flying around with other swallows were probably young
Tree swallows because there were several adult Trees around. Even
looking at some brown-backed swallows perched on a staub in a beaver
impoundment, I just wasn't sure, based on plumage. I think Northern
Rough-wingeds are supposed to fly a bit differently (slower wingbeats?)
but I couldn't really tell if my brown birds were doing that. 

(I did have one pleasing ID success on the count -- a smallish
waterthrush that didn't look quite right and that I studied carefully
turned out to be my first Northern here in N.C. I was thrilled, even
though they're "abundant" on the checklist.)

Cheers!
Ginger Travis
in Chapel Hill at the moment









 
Ginger Travis
Chapel Hill