[bassel]

Hello for all again.

Had these birds last week in Ethiopia , and confirmation needed please.

1- African reed warbler ? (short and straight bill , buffy flanks and considerably small warbler).

2-Heuglins gull ?? (could be lesser black-backed , but I based the ID on the strong bill and size of the gull.

3-plain martin ?

4-Barn swallow ?

5-Barn swallow or red-chested ??



Am I right on my decissions ??

Thanks

[lou salomon]

2 is a baltic gull (nominate LBBG) - too dark for heuglin's. bill is ok.

[Cristian Mihai]

4 and 5 look good for Barn Swallow.

[bassel]

Thanks Lou and Chris. Now still stuck with the martin and warbler.

[TZBirder]

I'm giving up on the African Acros from pictures! But looks good for plain martin

[bassel]

Originally Posted by TZBirder

I'm giving up on the African Acros from pictures! But looks good for plain martin

Thanks TZ

I know these Acros are very tough. I should have memorized the sound ,although I am very weak on sounds, Also I based my decision from a downloaded photo from the net of an african reed(attached photo). I see they are very similar. Thanks for the martin anyway.

[screaming piha]

What about Lesser Swamp Warbler?

[bassel]

Originally Posted by screaming piha

What about Lesser Swamp Warbler?

Hello PIHA

Actually I think lesser swamp should be having longer bill and tail , and rich brown upperparts. But I am not dead sure , since really I dont know the main differences between the two. So let us see other's opinions.

[Brian J Small]

Originally Posted by bassel

Hello PIHA

Actually I think lesser swamp should be having longer bill and tail , and rich brown upperparts. But I am not dead sure , since really I dont know the main differences between the two. So let us see other's opinions.

Bassel

You should have learnt from the last one.

Brian S

Addendum (replying to PM) - sorry Bassel, I did not to be quite so brief. This image is not easy, so using my criteria from the other thread is not as applicable, but there is still something about this that does not equate with AfReed - the bill shape and colour/pattern, the strong feet would look odd on AfReed, the tip of p1 (outer) is perhaps just visible if you modify the image and is much longer than the pcoverts which are hidden (emarginations hard again, but the first seems far too short for AfReed), tail seems pretty well graduated to me. Finally, the feel of the bird, the crown shape, seems right for LSW, even though the face pattern is bland (bleached out by the lighting).

Finally, you ask about the book. Actually two are applicable: the first Birds of the Horn of Africa have my Acro illustrations in; secondly and with much more data 'Reed and Bush warblers' - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reed-Bush-Wa.../dp/0713660228