Red-rumped Swallow? (1 Viewer)

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

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• Jun 10, 2013

• #1

I came across these couple of pictures labeled Red-rumped Swallow from India that seems to lack black undertail coverts. Is that a field mark that only is valid in some populations or is the id wrong, or how?

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=446028
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=418323

thanks
Niels

 

C

creedence

Well-known member

• Jun 10, 2013

• #2

I seem to remember that the rufous around the back of the neck is a variable feature, but the black under-tail coverts are a constant feature of RRS. The birds in the pictures look more like Striated Swallows, C striolata, but there does seem to be a lot of variation in RRSs. They are, however out of range for Striated Swallows.

 

Valéry Schollaert

Respect animals, don't eat or wear their body or s

• Jun 10, 2013

• #3

Red-rumped Swallow to me. I see the lower part of UTC black, it is how they are overthere... checking on Google Image...

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Jun 10, 2013

• #4

So Valery,
you are saying that the extreme tip of the UTC are black and that is OK? Certainly a little different from the id book I have for India.

Niels

 

Valéry Schollaert

Respect animals, don't eat or wear their body or s

• Jun 10, 2013

• #5

Look for photos of RRS taken in India...

 

tconzemi

Tom

Supporter

• Jun 10, 2013

• #6

in the Helm Field Guide Grimmett and Inskipp they have all black utc but according to Turner and Rose Swallows and Martins of the World there is no alternative ID other than RRS
a picture of RRS taken in India showing all the features and very little black on utc is here http://ibc.lynxeds.com/files/pictures/Red-rumped_Swallow_3925.JPG

 

RafaelMatias

Unknown member

• Jun 10, 2013

• #7

From my experience, sometimes illustrators use reference material from subspecies different from those occurring in the area covered. That might happen due to difficulty of obtaining appropriate reference material, unawareness of subspecific/geographical variation, re-using an illustration of the same species made for a different fieldguide (covering a different area) or a mix of all of those mentioned. This tended to be more common in older fieldguides.

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Jun 10, 2013

• #8

Thank you all. I know that a note will be going into my copy of the Inskipp guide.

Niels

 

chris butterworth

aka The Person Named Above

• Jun 10, 2013

• #9

The only other species that could, possibly, cause confusion is Striated Swallow and they have much stronger and more extensive streaking on the underparts, less rufous on the collar ( the odd birds completely lack it ) and a very pale / white rump. Oh, and it'd be a vagrant

Chris