Macklin Smith posted lots of juicy details on the British Columbia Accentors.
I have also wondered why there has not been a flood of discussion dealing
with this record, as there was for the Whiskered Tern. I realize that this
is not a NOrth American first, but few people have seen one anyway. This
record in Mr Kime's back yard is the first one in North America that has
been seen on more than one day, the first chaseable one ever!

As Macklin mentioned there are descriptions of two birds there. One is
brighter than the other, and it has been assumed that this means that one
is a male and the other is a female. I would caution that this may not be
the case. The plumage differences between male and female Siberian Accentors
is statistical, and not necessarily noticeable in the field. Dementev et
al. (1968) -Birds of the Soviet Union- does not give separate descriptions
for the two sexes. BWP (Birds of the Western Palearctic) mentions that
females are like males, but show a narrower black lower edge to the crown.
The upperparts may be less rufous and the breast may have less black mottling.
These differences could also be due to different stages of wear between the
two birds. As Siberian Accentors wear, they may look brighter on the upperparts
and show more black mottling on the lower breast, and likely a brighter grey
patch on the side of the nape. The timing of the post juvenile moult in this
species is quite variable, so if they are both birds of the year their colour
differences may be due to different stages of wear.

This does not mean that they are not male and female, I just have the hunch
that this has been assumed because of brightness differences.

Mr Kime's phone number is (604)-835-8537

Al Jaramillo
jaramill at sfu.ca
Vancouver, B.C.