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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

What Bird?? Jordan. (1 Viewer)

N

Nevtiger

Learner
I was unable to get a photo of these birds so i apologise for that.

In both the Petra and Wadi Rum areas i sawa bird i can not find in any of my books.

At first i only noticed it singularly but in the early morning it flew around in a small flock of around 20 individuals.

It seemed to have a light body and very dark wings when viewed from below. It was about the size of a european blackbird i reckon.

Its call was a mournful whistle a little bit like a Curlew but higher and stronger.

I know this a long shot but has any one got any ideas??

Cheers

Nev
 
Some kind of Wheatear? Mourning and Hooded Wheatear should be present and might fit the description but not sure about the call.

O
 
I did see plenty of Mourning Wheatear in and around but when i saw them close enough to identify them i did not hear a call :)

I shall try the net to see if a can find a recording of these two you suggest.

Nev
 
The only bird I can think of with a call like that is Tristrams Grackle but they havn't got pale underparts.

Neil.
 
Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) might well be the answer. Light below,dark above. Seen in small parties and larger sociable flocks. Bit smaller than Blackbird. Highly vocal, noisy. Includes chattering calls described as 'bubbling' (as are Curlew's calls.) Seems a close match to your birds in the region named.
 
phil baber said:
Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) might well be the answer. Light below,dark above. Seen in small parties and larger sociable flocks. Bit smaller than Blackbird. Highly vocal, noisy. Includes chattering calls described as 'bubbling' (as are Curlew's calls.) Seems a close match to your birds in the region named.
Click to expand...

Hi Phil,
Sorry to be picky but it's Spectacled Bulbul or Yellow vented bulbul, now split from Common bulbul.

Cheers, Neil.
 
Parker said:
Hi Phil,
Sorry to be picky but it's Spectacled Bulbul or Yellow vented bulbul, now split from Common bulbul.

Cheers, Neil.
Click to expand...

No worries. I don't have current taxonomic details. Pycnonotus barbatus or Common Bulbul in 1st Collins guide is what I was aiming for . So what's it called now to clarify? I had considered Arabian Babbler but considered them too light above. Although the calls and size fit the description. The Spectacled Bulbul would have shown its white eye-rings and sulphur vent maybe in the views had? But I feel we've narrowed it down to main suspects now IMHO.
 
I was in Petra last November - commonest birds were desert lark - quite a mournful little song. The bulbuls were present but I wouldn't describe their song as mournful. Wouldn't expect to see a hoopoe lark inside Petra. Grackles - obviously black in the body with orange flashes hard to miss. Mourning wheatear and blackstart already ruled out, not blue rock thrush or sinai rosefinch. Didn't see the babblers - they are there, but would have thought their behaviour is fairly diagnostic. I'd guess its the desert lark - though we also had flocks of rock sparrow outside the siq.
 
phil baber said:
No worries. I don't have current taxonomic details. Pycnonotus barbatus or Common Bulbul in 1st Collins guide is what I was aiming for . So what's it called now to clarify?
Click to expand...

Common Bulbul is still called Common Bulbul, but it doesn't occur in the area (it has never been recorded in Jordan or even Israel). The only bulbul species that occurs in the area is Spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos.
 
The call most like what we were hearing is the Tristrams Starling. The call is very flat in the sound recording but i guess when in a deep wadi with nothing else about it will bounce around and add depth to the call. Having now looked at some images of the Tristrams Starling then i am sure this is what it was.

I said originally that it was light body and dark wings whereas the TS is the opposite, i am putting this down to the way the light was, as when i saw the flock it was only just about dawn and the sun was effectively side on to the brids as they flew over me.

I sorted Specticaled Bulbul as they came very close at various places and it was easier to identify.

Desert lark i also got after a bit of checking in my Collins field guide one morning in a wadi at dawn when they fed quite close to us - close enough to put down the binos.

Arabian Babbler, i did not identify them whilst there but it is clear now listening to the sound clips that we heard plenty of them!

Thanks for everyone helping out with the identification.

I found Jordan to be very nice but we were not on a birding holiday however, as we travelled down through the country in the 10 days we were there i was able to do a little bit.

Highlight was the 2 x Bonnellis at Wadi Mujib.

Thanks again

Nev
 
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