Re: The putative Indigo Bunting at Paso Picacho

I agree with Stan. One-year-old male Indigos are a mix of brown and blue, with contrast between brown, retained juvenile feathers and newer blue ones. While it can be difficult to note retained juvenile primary coverts in photos of immatures of many avian species, it is easier to see this contrast in young male Indigos, as they retain most if not all these feathers (see Beadle and Rising 2006). Looking at Eric Kallen's photos, especially the in-flight pic, I see no brown and abraded retained juvenile feathers among the blue-edged, primary coverts. Thus, this is an adult male, and the white belly makes it a hybrid, an especially interesting one.