Ghana - swifts (1 Viewer)

[opisska]

Four swifts from Ghana - the first three from around Kakum NP in the south - I find Common vs. Pallid difficult enough already and there could be maybe Mottled, or even Black or Bate's? Or are better photos needed?

The fourth bird is near Kumasi and it could be Black Spinetail maybe?



Swift 1:


Swift 2:


Swift 3:


Swift 4:

 

[Andy Adcock]

3 has a good chance of being Bates's I'd say.

The last does look like Black Spinetail to me, in the last shot, you can see the paler throat.

 

[opisska]

Interesting! To me bird 3 looks much more contrast-y in wings than bird 2 (bird 1 probably not good enough photos), but this really could be lighting ... Good point with the throat, I think it really can be the Spinetail.

 

[njlarsen]

The first bird has a special shape. The tail almost looks like a swallow with outer tail streamers and the outer primaries looking longer than the next ones. Is this just a result of moult or is it indicative of which species? The spread tail does not give evidence of missing feathers.
Niels

 

[THE_FERN]

Interesting! To me bird 3 looks much more contrast-y in wings than bird 2 (bird 1 probably not good enough photos), but this really could be lighting ... Good point with the throat, I think it really can be the Spinetail.

We can easily see the last bird is structurally different to the others. Other spinetails there have extensive white

Suggest 2 for pallid. I guess it could be mottled, but that looks to be rare (diffuse white throat, scalloped underparts)

1 is probably common.
edit: can't see anything obvious which would rule that out (shape looks fine)

 

[Butty]

first bird . . . The tail almost looks like a swallow with outer tail streamers and the outer primaries looking longer than the next ones. Is this just a result of moult

Yes.