Readers’ wildlife photos

It’s Sunday, and so we have another contribution by John Avise, this time featuring eponymous Passeriform birds. The notes and IDs are John’s, and you can enlarge his photos by clicking on them.

Eponymous Birds, Part 2: Some Passerine Species

Recall that eponymous species are those named after a particular person, typically the naturalist who first described that species.  To have a species named after you is considered a badge of honor for a biologist, especially if that species is beautiful or charismatic.  Last week’s post showcased several eponymous avian species in taxonomic orders other than Passeriformes.  This week’s post continues our coverage of eponymous species [see last week’s post] by showing several Passeriform species named after famous scientists.  Again, to learn more about the person after which each bird was named, you can conduct a Google search (such as “Wilson, ornithologist”, or Wilson’s Warbler) and read the relevant Wikipedia link.   I took most of these photos in Southern California (but Iphotographed the LeConte’s Sparrow in Illinois).

Bell’s Vireo, Vireo bellii:

Bewick’s Wren, Thryomanes bewickii:

Brewer’s Blackbird, Euphagus cyanocephalus:

Brewer’s Sparrow, Spizella breweri:

Cassin’s Kingbird, Tyrannus vociferans:

Cassin’s Vireo, Vireo cassinii:

Clark’s Nutcracker, Nucifraga columbiana:

Hammond’s Flycatcher, Empidonax hammondii:

Hutton’s Vireo, Vireo huttoni:

LeConte’s Sparrow, Ammodramus lecontii:

Lincoln’s Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii:

Say’s Phoebe, Sayornis saya:

Steller’s Jay, Cyanocitta stelleri:

Townsend’s Warbler, Dendroica townsendi:

Wilson’s Warbler, Wilsonia pusilla: