[kaylene]

please id this australian bird for me

[Dimitris]

Hi,

Your bird is a White-plumed Honeyeater in non breeding plumage.

D.

[Greg McKay]

Seconded

[nrg800]

Could it not be a Fuscous?

[SteveClark]

I think Fuscous as well. A young bird. Where was it taken please?

[Bruce Ramsay]

Its a Fuscous Honeyeater. Either an immature or a non-breeding adult.

[Silverwolf]

Fuscous for me.

White-plumed doesn't exactly have non-breeding plumage anyway.

[Dimitris]

Originally Posted by Silverwolf

Fuscous for me.

White-plumed doesn't exactly have non-breeding plumage anyway.

They do and get a pale base to the bill as this bird does. So does Fuscous.

As for the identity of the bird, it looks darker than WPH, but I am still not convinced on FH.

D.

[Bruce Ramsay]

Agree with Dimitris that White-plumed definitely have a non-breeding plumage, the most characteristic feature of which is the pale base to the bill.

The bird in this photo has a pale eye-ring. This is typical of non-breeding and immature Fuscous. White-plumed has a dark eye-ring in all plumages.

[Greg McKay]

I've played around witht he photo a bit and now I'm not sure.
Does it help anyone?

[Joshua-B]

Looks like an immature white-plumed? Difficult to tell, it could well be Fuscous - is there another photo with a more side-on view of then neck? Either way, the colourful gape makes it an immature bird for sure

[Silverwolf]

Originally Posted by Dimitris

They do and get a pale base to the bill as this bird does. So does Fuscous.

As for the identity of the bird, it looks darker than WPH, but I am still not convinced on FH.

D.

I had these in my garden every day and I don't believe I never noticed that...however, I did see one bird in April that had an orange base to the bill...see attached. It's the only time I've ever seen a bird like this, and I assumed it was a juvenile because it was with other black-billed birds.

[kaylene]

we took a house boat trip along the murry river from Echuca down. It was along the banks that I took this.
I only got the one photo sorry.

[Dimitris]

Originally Posted by Bruce Ramsay

Agree with Dimitris that White-plumed definitely have a non-breeding plumage, the most characteristic feature of which is the pale base to the bill.

The bird in this photo has a pale eye-ring. This is typical of non-breeding and immature Fuscous. White-plumed has a dark eye-ring in all plumages.

I cannot see any eyering on this bird. I can, however, see the bird's iris.

To make matters worse the plume on this bird is indistinct, but what little there is appears to be white rather than yellow... On the other hand, however, it has black only on the rear end like a FH...

These are so much easier in the field where you can ascertain colour...and here them call!

[Bruce Ramsay]

Originally Posted by Dimitris

I cannot see any eyering on this bird. I can, however, see the bird's iris.

These are so much easier in the field where you can ascertain colour...and here them call!

That's the eye-ring you can see. The iris is indistinct in this photo.

To me, what little of the plume that can be seen is yellow rather than white - or seems to be yellow with a possible white edge closest to the throat.

And yes - I agree, seeing the species in the field makes ID much easier than in indistinct photos.

However, with an eye-ring like it has, I can't see this bird as being anything other than Fuscous.

Regards,
Bruce

[Dimitris]

Originally Posted by Bruce Ramsay

That's the eye-ring you can see. The iris is indistinct in this photo.

To me, what little of the plume that can be seen is yellow rather than white - or seems to be yellow with a possible white edge closest to the throat.

And yes - I agree, seeing the species in the field makes ID much easier than in indistinct photos.

However, with an eye-ring like it has, I can't see this bird as being anything other than Fuscous.

Regards,
Bruce

http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/__data/...yeater_620.jpg

Ok I am happy to be proven wrong. Fuscous it is!

[kaylene]

thank you all.. I will label it Fuscous..