ORIGINAL: c j
Still hoping to get some opinions on the two birds - Deer Trackers input was helpful, but I'm still not sure which bird (or both?) he's referring to when he said it was a Rio.
Please let me know what you guys think. The bird at the top of the thread looks more like a Merriam's to me, but yet not 100%, whereas the bird in the 2nd pic lower down looks like a Rio. But again, I'm the last thing from an expert, so that's why I'd like your input.
My 2 cents, based only on the pictures:
The first picture looks more like a rio/merriams cross. Merriams don't necessarily have white fan tips, as they are often buff colored (especially in the Rockies), but the white or buff colored tips are longer on a merriams, and the feathers are longer in general. But I'd say he has plenty of merriams in him.
Here's a picture of a Rocky Mtn. merriams with buff colored fan tips:
Note the long white/buff colored parts on the fan.
Here's a rio with nearly the same colored fan, but note the shorter white/buff colored parts:
Your second picture looks like it is a eastern/rio mix with those dark secondary fan feathers. Possibly an eastern/merriams mix. That's an interesting and nice looking bird.
Hal