The bird photographed above and
below was a difficult identification between Cassin's and Plumbeous Vireo. Plumbeous
is the common summer resident "Solitary" Vireo in Southeast Arizona,
but Cassin's is a common migrant through the area in Spring. Plumbeous
is the most drab of the three species in this group, gray overall,
sometimes with a faint yellow wash on the flanks, and
with a relatively distinct contrast between throat and auriculars.
Cassin's typically has more green on the back and more yellow on the
underparts, with weaker throat-auricular contrast, but drab adults can
approach Plumbeous in appearance. Two California birders very
experienced with Cassin's leaned strongly toward identifying this bird
as Plumbeous. (The third member of the Solitary Vireo group, the Blue-headed Vireo of eastern North
America, is the brightest and most colorful of the three species.)
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