Charles Harper, Lidth's Jay?

[steve_nova]

Hi Charles,

I was just wondering (having just looked at a thread on Jays) if you have ever seen the beautiful Lidth's Jay (Garrulus lidthi)?

I know it doesn't occour on the Japanese mainland but only on the islands to the south such as Amami-Oshima, Tokinoshima and northern Riu-Kiu.

It feeds principally on the acorns of the native Oak (Quercus cuspidata) and spreads this species in the same way as the other two Garrulus species do with various other oaks.

This sudden interest has only occoured because of a similar thread with about the Eurasian Nutcracker as well as the Eurasian Jay and the fact that there are such poor images of this beauty on the internet.

Cheers.

[steve_nova]

Well, this is about the best image of this gorgeous bird I can find in five minutes exploration on google.....http://www.avesphoto.com/website/JP/species/JAYLID-1.htm

Truly beautiful even at this distance.

[steve_nova]

How about that. I have looked around further on this Japanese bird website and found a species of Robin with the colours reversed!

You can't link directly to an image so in the list it's Thrushes>Ryukyu Robin

http://www.avesphoto.com/website/JP/home.htm

[Charles Harper]

Gee, my name in a thread title... kind of like a theatre marquee, isn't it?

Yes, Steve, Lidth's Jay is one of the easiest restricted endemics to get (the Island Scrub-Jay being even easier-- I've got a thread on finding that bird too somewhere here (http://www.birdforum.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8555&highlight=Island+ScrubJay)).

You will hear them first, and then be able to see one before too long. The best time to see them is winter, when they are in large bands and more vociferous. There are about 5000 birds, all on Amami-Oshima now, both the Tokinoshima and Iriomote-jima populations being extinct or apocryphal.

The beautiful electric blue color unfortunately often looks black, so you have to wait until the bird gets into good light, which may take awhile, as they are skulkers like the Eurasian Jay when you get close to them.

At the same time and with much more luck, you will get the Amami Woodcock and the Amami Thrush, the other two endemic full species there. Let me know when you're coming, because I have to go back for BOTH of those. Serves me right for being to cheap to hire a guide!

[steve_nova]

Thanks Charles!

Japan, now thats a culture to experience and no mistake. I would love to get there some day but alas, not I fear in the immediate future. The western USA looks to be my next major jaunt.

Strange that Lidth's Jay has such a restricted distribution. I suppose it has something to do with it being a cavity nester and competition with the Eurasian Jay on the mainland.

Good luck with the Woodcock and Thrush.:t: