77 White-collared : New to Ontario and Canada

Tristan ap Rheinallt

On 10 June 2002, a White-collared sun rose, it soon warmed up and Swift (Streptoprocne zonaris) was became a bright, though somewhat seen briefly from the Marsh Trail at hazy, morning. I spent three very Rondeau Provincial Park. The pleasant hours pottering along the record, which has been accepted by first part of the trail, enjoying the the Ontario Records sight of old friends such as Indigo Committee (Crins 2003), becomes Bunting (Passerina cyanea), Rose­ the first for Ontario and Canada. breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus), Northern Cardinal Circumstances (Cardinalis cardinalis) and Orchard On the afternoon of 9 June 2002, I Oriole (Icterus spurius). I was arrived in Toronto from the UK at enjoying myself immensely and, for the start of a week-long birding trip. once, rarities were the last thing on It was my first visit to Canada since my mind. 1987 and my first to North America At 0800h, as I stood listening to since 1993. Although I knew that the birdsong and debating whether spring migration would be more or or not to attempt a photograph of a less over, there were several species superbly lit male Red-winged of breeding warblers that I hoped to Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) add to my life list. One of these, perched on a nearby branch, I Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria noticed what appeared to be a swift citrea), was the reason I decided to flying directly towards me from the make Rondeau my first destination. direction of the lake. As I thought I spent the evening of 9 June bird­ "swift", I simultaneously thought ing around the Tulip Tree Trail, "impossible" because this was renewing my acquaintance with clearly a very large bird. I was well I used to know very well, hav­ aware that the only common swift ing lived in Quebec from 1982 to species in eastern North America is 1985. I was pleased to discover that the Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelag­ many field characters, and quite a ica), although I had not yet seen any few calls and songs, were still stored on my trip. in my memory. Various other unlikely possibil­ On 10 June, I was up well ities flashed through my mind, before dawn, and I started walking including Black Tern (Chlidonias the Marsh Trail at around 0500h. niger) and Eurasian Hobby (Falco The sky was clear and there was subbuteo). But despite these stray very little breeze, if any. Once the thoughts, I knew that it was a swift, VOLUME 21 NUMBER 2 78 even in an almost head-on view, and species of swift in the West that had its appearance as it came closer white as well as black in the confirmed my initial instinctive plumage. I had seen that species in identification. It also clearly was not California in 1993, and although I a Chimney Swift. With the sun more could not remember its name or its or less behind me and the bird exact appearance, I imagined that it approaching from the west, the light might turn up as a vagrant in the conditions were excellent. The bird East from time to time. However, continued to fly straight towards when I opened the book and me and passed directly overhead at looked at the paintings of White­ a height of perhaps 10 metres, throated Swift (Aeronautes saxatal­ before continuing inland. Its is), I realized that it did not match plumage was amazing: entirely dark the appearance of my bird at all. with a gleaming white band across Nor did Vaux's Swift (Chaetura the upper breast. I had an excellent vauxi) or Black Swift (Cypseloides view of the underparts but I did not niger). see the upperparts at all. At this point, I tried to convince My first reaction was to reach myself that I was imagining things. for my copy of Sibley (2000), the But I knew that, however brief the only field guide I had with me. I view, I had seen this bird very well remembered that there was a indeed. It seemed that I had finally succumbed to the "it isn't in the book" syndrome that I myself had derided on several occasions in the past. Given that it certainly wasn't in the book, what could I do? I con­ tented myself with drawing a quick sketch in my field notebook (Figure 1) and adding some notes as I returned to the car. By this time I birdwatch had unearthed a vague memory of a unique birding & nature products swift I saw in Venezuela in 1999. I even thought I could remember its 1907 Avenue Road name-White-collared Swift-but I Toronto, Canada M5,\It 3Z9 (1 km. south of Hwy. 401) had no reason to suppose that it ever occurred in North America. As Phone (416) 785-9222 Fax (416) 785-3125 I walked back towards my car, I had toll free 1-877-785-9222 plenty of opportunity to study [email protected] Chimney Swifts, several of which www.shopbirdwatch.com appeared very soon after the large David Renaud swift and may well have arrived with it. Also present were Purple

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Figure 1: Field sketch ofWhite-collared Swift at Marsh Trail, Rondeau Provincial Park, on 10 June 2002. Drawing by Tristan ap Rheinallt.

Martins (Progne subis), Tree identify, seen for only about a (Tachyeineta bieolor), minute. Nevertheless, I did stop at Barn Swallows ( rustiea) the park visitor centre, only to find and Bank Swallows (Riparia that it was closed for the day. At this riparia). Needless to say, none of point I decided that I would try to them bore any resemblance to the forget the whole event. bird I had seen. Later that afternoon, having The experience left me feeling arrived at Point Pelee, I visited the unsettled. Although in the normal Pelee Wings bookshop. On impulse, course of events I am a keen rarity­ I picked up a copy of the National hunter, I knew that having been in Geographic field guide (Dickinson the country for less than 24 hours, I 1999) and found the swifts page. was out of my element. Had I had Staring out at me was the bird I had the opportunity to study the bird seen. When I read the notes on its for a lengthy period, I might have status, I was stunned. At the same felt driven to report it to someone. time, I felt obliged to report the As it was, I knew that although I sighting just in case the bird might had clearly seen something very still be around. I therefore unusual, no local birder would be approached the people who ran the impressed by an unknown observer shop. They put me in touch with reporting something he couldn't Alan Wormington, whom I met the VOLUME 21 NUMBER 2 80 next day and who encouraged me register anything else. In retrospect, to submit the record to the Ontario I cannot be certain whether the Bird Records Committee. greyish-black colour was the true colour (as opposed to pure black) Description or merely an effect of the strong General impression: A very large light coming from behind me. swift with an exceptionally striking A pure white neck band stood plumage pattern: all dark except for out from the rest of the a narrow pure white "V" on the plumage-indeed, it positively upper breast. "shone" in the light. This band was narrow and largely uniform in width Size and structure: Unfortunately, I but came to a point in the centre of was unable to compare the bird the breast, where it may have been directly with any others. However, slightly broader. It reached the edge my initial reaction was that it was of the body on either side just in enormous for a swift: the Common front of the base of the wing. I could Swift ( apus) found in the UK see no other pale areas whatsoever, (itself considerably larger than the not even on the throat. Chimney Swift) was my instinctive yardstick for this comparison. I Flight: The bird flew directly thought the bird was comparable in towards me in a straight line. Its wingspan to an Alpine Swift (Apus wing beats were stiff and shallow, melba) orWhite-throated Needletail with the wingtips well below the (Hirundapus caudacutus), both of body on the downstroke. This, I which I am familiar with from visits believe, is why I immediately decid­ to continental Europe and , ed it was a swift based on an initial respectively. Like an Alpine Swift, it head-on view, before I could see the appeared bulky, with relatively shape of the wings and tail. I cannot broad-based wings. However, the remember whether it changed the wings were also long, sharply point­ angle of its body relative to the ed and characteristically crescent- or ground as it flew. However, it did scimitar-shaped. The tail, on the not give the "flickering" impression other hand, was short and had a of Chimney Swift or a such shallow fork. as Australian Swiftlet ( terraereginae). Instead, it appeared Plumage: In head-on view, the bird powerful and purposeful. looked completely black. As it flew over me, its underside-with the Analysis exception of the "collar"-appeared Over the following few days, as I uniformly greyish-black. I was able toured southern Ontario and north­ to see the individual primaries and ern Ohio in search of birds, I had secondaries but had little time to plenty of opportunity to reflect on ONTARIO BIRDS AUGUST 2003 81 this brief sighting and consider cent sure of the exact shape and whether the identification was position of the white band or collar. beyond doubt. Finally, there was no doubt in Although I was well aware that my mind that the bird I had seen it is difficult to estimate the size of a was indeed a swift. The only other lone bird accurately, especially in an realistic possibilities, given the long unfamiliar environment, I was con­ wings and the shallow fork to the fident that this had indeed been a tail, might be a hirundine or a tern. very large swift. Before seeing it, I Over the next few days, I spent had plenty of opportunity that some time looking at common morning to study Purple Martins, hirundine species from this per­ Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows and spective. Only fleetingly did any of Bank Swallows-the last two being them (Purple Martin and Tree familiar species at home. Indeed, ) give a swift-like impres­ because I was seeing some of them sion as they occasionally glided on for the first time for several years, I stiff wings. This impression lasted spent quite a lot of time looking at no more than an instant. The pro­ them, paying particular attention to portions of these birds were also the Barn Swallows because of the clearly different, with relatively differences from the European shorter wings and more body race. There were also many other birds flying around in the general area, and although I did not have Perceptor any of them in the same field of Brownsville Junction Plaza, Box 38, Suite 201, view as the White-collared Swift, I Schomberg. Ontario LOG 1TO have no recollection of misjudging SERVING BIRDERS FOR OVER 20YEARS FRIENDLY SERVICE EXPERT ADVICE LOW PR£'ES the size of any of these birds. When Binoculars, Spotting Scopes, Telescopes, I saw my first Chimney Swifts of the Tripods and Accessories trip immediately after seeing the Popular Brands - including SwaroJlski White-collared Swift, they looked OrderconvenienOy by phone, or exactly as I expected them to. They visit our showroom in the plaza seemed tiny by comparison with the west. side ofHwy Z7, 1/2 mile south of Hwy 9. 2nd Door(via blue door offcourtyard) bird I had just seen. As far as the plumage pattern WedJlesday lOam to 6prn * Closed on some Thursday lOam to 6prn summer Fridays was concerned, the excellent view­ Friday * lOam to 6pm and Saturdays Saturday * lOam to4prn - please call - ing conditions made me sure that I had seen everything there was to Phone: 905-939-2313 Ifthe above number is "long distance" see on the bird's underside, and that from your area, then call ... no additional pale or white areas toll free: 1-877-452-1610 had escaped my notice. However, I Fax: (90S) 939..8274 had to admit that the brevity of the Major Credit Cards accepted 2S% discount for cash orcheque ~/... view made it difficult to be 100 per- VOLUME 21 NUMBER 2 82 behind the wings. I cannot imagine Six of the North American that even an aberrant male Purple records come from Florida and Martin with a white collar (if such a Texas, where birds have been seen thing is possible) would ever trick or found dead in the months of me into thinking it was a swift September, December, January, under the same circumstances as March and May (Semo and Booher the bird I saw at Rondeau. Being 2002). More directly relevant to the familiar with terns in the genera Ontario record are sightings in Chlidonias, Sterna and Anous, I am extreme northwestern California equally confident that the possibili­ on 21 May 1982 (Semo and Booher ty of the bird being a tern can be 2002) and in Michigan on 19 May ruled out by structure and flight 1996 (Dunn 1996, Semo and action, let alone plumage. Booher 2002). The location of the latter record, Tawas Point, is only Discussion some 250 km from Rondeau. With nine recognized subspecies, Both the Michigan and Ontario the White-collared Swift breeds records involve birds seen from a across a wide area from Mexico and peninsula projecting into one of the the Caribbean south to Argentina. Great Lakes. The former was asso­ Within its large range it is often ciated with a strong passage of montane or submontane, although Chimney Swifts and many swallows it does occur over a variety of low­ (Dunn 1996), while the latter may land and highland habitats, both have been associated with the coastal and interior. It is partly arrival of a group of Chimney migratory, with differing kinds of Swifts. Both birds were seen to fly dispersal in different populations. in from the lake, but the weather Altitudinal migration is known, as conditions were very different on are movements to exploit seasonal the two occasions: howling souther­ savanna fires, while some parts of ly winds at Tawas Point (Dunn the range are apparently occupied 1996), and near-calm conditions at only outside the breeding season. Rondeau, though a strong easterly However, the White-collared Swift breeze did pick up later in the day. does not appear to be a long-dis­ The California record involved tance migrant. Thus, although it an individual seen on the seacoast breeds within some 500 km of the at Point St. George, where it was Texas border, it is only an acciden­ foraging with a mixed-species tal vagrant to North America, with group of swallows (Semo and eight accepted records for the ABA Booher 2002). This bird was tenta­ area prior to my sighting. These tively identified as belonging to the eight records involved a total of race mexicana, which breeds from nine birds (del Hoyo et al. 1999, Mexico to Belize. Judging by geo­ Semo and Booher 2002). graphical distribution, mexicana is ONTARIO BIRDS AUGUST 2003 83 one of the two subspecies most like­ with records from Texas in March ly to turn up in the USA or Canada. and May, represent lost individuals It is thought to account for several trying to return to their breeding other North American records, grounds. They imply that the birds including a specimen from Texas. may have dispersed from their The other candidate, pallidifrons, Mexican wintering grounds earlier nests in the Caribbean and its in the year, perhaps driven north by occurrence in Florida is confirmed low prey availability. However, by a specimen record (Semo and swifts are known to undertake Booher 2002). No attempt was major movements to escape made to assign the Michigan bird to adverse weather at any time of the either of these two subspecies. In year, and it has been suggested that the case of the Ontario sighting, the this habit may be common within absence of any pale markings on the family (del Hoyo et al. 1999). It the face or throat would appear to is therefore entirely possible that rule out pallidifrons, leaving mexi­ the California, Michigan and cana as the most likely possibility. Ontario birds were all recent Although the Ontario bird was arrivals. Whether or not this is the seen some three weeks later in the case, the pattern of occurrences year than the California and suggests that flocks of swifts or Michigan individuals, the concen­ hirundines in late spring, at the tration of these extralimital sight­ margin of land and water, provide ings in May and June is nonetheless the best chance of finding this spec­ interesting. Semo and Booher tacular species in Canada or the (2002) suggested that the California northern USA. and Michigan records, together

Literature Cited Crins, W.J. 2003. Ontario Bird Records Dunn, J. L. 1996. First state record: White­ Committee report for 2002. Ontario Birds collared Swift (Streptoprocne zonaris) at 21: 54-76. Tawas Point, Iosco Co. Michigan Birds del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott, and J. Sargatal (edi­ and Natural History 3: 277-282. tors). 1999. Handbook of the Birds of the Semo, L.S. and D. Booher. 2002. Possible World. Volume 5. Barn-owls to anywhere: White-collared Swift. Birding . Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. 34: 16-22. Dickinson, M.B. (editor) 1999. Field Guide Sibley, D.A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. to the Birds of North America. Third Alfred A. Knopf, New York. Edition. National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.

Tristan ap Rheinallt, Lenimore, Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Scotland PA44 7PP, UK

VOLUME 21 NUMBER 2