Shouldn't be a Yellow-Bellied Elainia...

[aveschapinas]

Time to dust off this sub-forum!

Yesterday and today I saw this bird that has me confused; it looks to me like a Yellow-Bellied Elainia, but they shouldn't be here - I'm in the mountains, about 8000 feet, and they tend to somewhat lower elevations. But I can't figure out what else it could be. I didn't get very good pics, because it stayed only a few moments and was back-lit the whole time (and I'm not much of a photographer, of course!) I'm adding two shots, edited and unedited. I was able to observe that it had light wing feather edgings forming patterns but not distinct wing bars; they belly is bright lemon yellow; the bill is slightly orangeish on the lower mandible; overall gray color except for yellow belly, and lighter throat and chest than back and wings. It perched briefly at the top of small trees (but the highest ones in the immediate area) and flew away. The shaggy crest was very visible at all times.

Any help appreciated!

[Greyhawk]

I'm in the mountains,

Can you be any more specific with the location?

[Greyhawk]

Time to dust off this sub-forum!

Yesterday and today I saw this bird that has me confused; it looks to me like a Yellow-Bellied Elainia, but they shouldn't be here - I'm in the mountains, about 8000 feet, and they tend to somewhat lower elevations. But I can't figure out what else it could be. I didn't get very good pics, because it stayed only a few moments and was back-lit the whole time (and I'm not much of a photographer, of course!) I'm adding two shots, edited and unedited. I was able to observe that it had light wing feather edgings forming patterns but not distinct wing bars; they belly is bright lemon yellow; the bill is slightly orangeish on the lower mandible; overall gray color except for yellow belly, and lighter throat and chest than back and wings. It perched briefly at the top of small trees (but the highest ones in the immediate area) and flew away. The shaggy crest was very visible at all times.

Any help appreciated!

How do you rule out Pine Flycatcher?

[Greyhawk]

I bumped the brightness and contrast to try to bring out details for the benefit of those more expert than myself.

who is it edited 1.jpg (119.59 KiB) Viewed 271 times

[Aidan B]

Looks like a Greater Pewee to me.

[Kevin]

Looks like a Greater Pewee to me.

That's what I was thinking

[aveschapinas]

Can you be any more specific with the location?

Sorry - Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, about 8000 feet.

[aveschapinas]

Looks like a Greater Pewee to me.

That was the consensus in a local birding group; they are common here. I guess he just had a very yellow belly and had put hair gel in his crest!

[aveschapinas]

He came back today and vocalized, definitely Greater Pewee. But man, what a bright yellow belly he has!