Stint from South Africa (1 Viewer)

[doug_newman]

Hi all.

Can anyone familiar with both Red-necked and Little Stint comment on this?

I see some lateral expansion of the bill tip which is good for Red-necked Stint and also the tibia look quite short. Of course Red-necked Stint is amazinly rare in Southern Africa but we do get them.

Cheers,
Doug

 

[doug_newman]

So why does this look good for Red-necked Stint?
1) Short Tibia
2) Streaking on side of chest (lower down the breast band). This is apparently a breeding plumage feature and there are remnants of breeding plumage present on this bird
3) Cheeks plain chestnut lacking streaks (cheeks are streaked in breeding Little Stint)
4) Chestnut seems to extend onto throat (throat is white in Little Stint)

Like I say I am no expert on Red-necked at all but this bird is interesting.

 

[doug_newman]

No takers?

My feeling is this is potentially a Red-necked Stint. My reasoning for this is several fold as this bird is still in partial breeding plumage.
1) There is clearly a paler reddish nape collar which is only seen in red-necked.
2) The reddish tones seem to extend onto the throat. The throat remains white in Little Stint
3) Quoting the shorebirds bible... The streaks on the necklace do not extend below the chestnut on Little Stint. On Red-necked, the brown spotting extends well below the chestnut on breast onto the upper flanks. In this pic there are clearly upper flank streaks well below the chestnut.
4) Quoting "Guide to identification and ageing of Holarctic waders" they also quote the extension of the chest streaks onto the upper flanks on Red-necked as a feature to separate from Little.
5) The cheeks seem plain chestnut unstreaked, This is more a feature of Red-necked than Little Stint.
6) Mantle lines are weaker than Little Stint. That seems to be the case here.

 

[gandytron]

The rufous fringes to the tertials make me think that this might be a Little Stint.

What time of year was this picture taken?

 

[doug_newman]

March if that helps although I read that little and red-necked moult at the same time

 

[doug_newman]

Why are the rufous fringes to the tertials diagnostic? Here is a red-necked that clearly shows rufous fringes to the tertials?

http://www.birdskorea.org/Images/images2007/09/Red-necked-Stint_NM-1.jpg

 

[rockfowl]

Are there any other images Doug, even blurred ones?
Very difficult judging such potentially tricky Id on a single image

 

[doug_newman]

Sadly no. I thought that as there were traces of breeding plumage starting to come through, that would make it quite simple?

 

[creedence]

The streaking below the eye and above the breast streaking bothers me and I think it could be a Little Stint with a stained throat.

 

[doug_newman]

That could make sense

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Hi all.

Can anyone familiar with both Red-necked and Little Stint comment on this?

I see some lateral expansion of the bill tip which is good for Red-necked Stint and also the tibia look quite short. Of course Red-necked Stint is amazinly rare in Southern Africa but we do get them.

Cheers,
Doug

The bird appears dumpy in shape which suits Little Stint, Red-necked Stint being more elongated.

Regards, John