While participating in Global Big Day on 14 May 2022, Oliver Komar noticed a dead bird on the surface of a recently plowed melon field, on the west side of the Zamorano pivot agricultural plot, close to the Masicarán dry forest reserve. We stopped the car to examine the bird, and discovered it was a tern and missing a wing, but José Daniel Robles soon found the wing a few meters away, partly buried in the dirt. (Others in our party were Eric van den Berghe, James Phelps, Paul Stufkens and Nic Zimmer).
CONDITION: The bird was dried and emaciated, and somewhat twisted. It had almost no odor, and no evidence of living organisms such as maggots or flies. It appeared to have been run over by tractor some time ago, certainly more than 2 or 3 days ago. Potentially it may actually have been buried and then brought to the surface recently by plowing activities. It may have died weeks or months ago. There is no way to know if it was dead already before being run over. Any sea bird at this location would have no food and would likely starve.
Identification: The plumage is worn and dark brown on dorsal surfaces (whitish on ventral surfaces) suggesting the age was immature; the plumage does not appear black enough for an adult. The forked tail, approximately 12 cm long, is same dark brown color on dorsal surface as dorsal wing plumage. It is shorter than would be on an adult. The long thin black bill is 6 cm length from gape to tip, but only 3.5 cm from nares to tip. Wing chord measured 29 cm.
Other info: Additional photos are reported on iNaturalist with the exact location. Here we are reporting it for the local hotspot, whose pin is currently about 1.8 km north of the actual location.
[This record was entered to eBird on 17 May 2022, by Oliver Komar, based on personal photos and observations. Although the bird is dried and dead for >48 hours, it represents only second recent record for Honduras, and second eBird record for Honduras, as well as the first department record.]
Details
While participating in Global Big Day on 14 May 2022, Oliver Komar noticed a dead bird on the surface of a recently plowed melon field, on the west side of the Zamorano pivot agricultural plot, close to the Masicarán dry forest reserve. We stopped the car to examine the bird, and discovered it was a tern and missing a wing, but José Daniel Robles soon found the wing a few meters away, partly buried in the dirt. (Others in our party were Eric van den Berghe, James Phelps, Paul Stufkens and Nic Zimmer).
CONDITION: The bird was dried and emaciated, and somewhat twisted. It had almost no odor, and no evidence of living organisms such as maggots or flies. It appeared to have been run over by tractor some time ago, certainly more than 2 or 3 days ago. Potentially it may actually have been buried and then brought to the surface recently by plowing activities. It may have died weeks or months ago. There is no way to know if it was dead already before being run over. Any sea bird at this location would have no food and would likely starve.
Identification: The plumage is worn and dark brown on dorsal surfaces (whitish on ventral surfaces) suggesting the age was immature; the plumage does not appear black enough for an adult. The forked tail, approximately 12 cm long, is same dark brown color on dorsal surface as dorsal wing plumage. It is shorter than would be on an adult. The long thin black bill is 6 cm length from gape to tip, but only 3.5 cm from nares to tip. Wing chord measured 29 cm.
Other info: Additional photos are reported on iNaturalist with the exact location. Here we are reporting it for the local hotspot, whose pin is currently about 1.8 km north of the actual location.
[This record was entered to eBird on 17 May 2022, by Oliver Komar, based on personal photos and observations. Although the bird is dried and dead for >48 hours, it represents only second recent record for Honduras, and second eBird record for Honduras, as well as the first department record.]