Fody image in an opus page (Seychelles) (2 Viewers)

[njlarsen]

Dear all, please look at this image on the page for Red-headed Fody

Red-headed Fody - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

I have difficulty reconciling it with that species based on the few images I have seen online (and it is also out of range). However it might still be (I do not even have a book containing any Fodies), or it might be one of two other species:
*Aldabra Fody even though it would be more than 1000 km from the Aldabra atoll according to what I could find, OR
*Red (Madagascar) Fody which might be either natural or transported by humans to that area

Anyone with further insight??
thanks
Niels

 

[THE_FERN]

I don't know these either. Lists of the birds of the Seychelles list Aldabra fody, and the image corresponds to this species afaik: e.g. fairly clear yellow belly. I guess the key is finding out what
location of photo = Seychelles actually means (precisely--which island)

 

[delia todd]

Apparently the picture was taken in the Botanical Gardens which, I presume, means Victoria on Mahe island.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Not sure how big a pale area Madagascar Fody can have on lower unds, but I think that might be the common (introduced) one on Mahe.

 

[THE_FERN]

Not sure how big a pale area Madagascar Fody can have on lower unds, but I think that might be the common (introduced) one on Mahe.

Well I guess that's the most likely (red = Madagascar Fody). I thought the yellow too yellow, but probably they're variable and they do hybridise I think.

 

[njlarsen]

Thank you all, and sorry for the time before I returned to this - four days without power does things to your schedule

Here is a link to an image of a Red Fody with a good deal of yellow on the underside, even though the border is not as clearcut :

Red Fody Macaulay Library ML204923941

I should also point out that the Red-headed Fody with the latest splits is only found in the Comoros.

Any further comments?
Niels

 

[njlarsen]

I just found out that Avibase does have Aldabra Fody on the list for Mahe, even though I do not know which reference they use for this.

Mahé bird checklist - Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World

avibase.bsc-eoc.org

Niels

 

[THE_FERN]

Yeah weird. I couldn't find any obvious ref. to this elsewhere—e.g. mention of an introduction. All I can say is "good luck"...