Bird Calendar photo of Wren (1 Viewer)

[vilbs]

This month's bird is apparently a Wren. To my amateur eye it looks like a juvenile Robin. Could someone confirm please.
Many thanks.

 

[Eranou]

Completely agree, very strange looking Wren!

 

[Butty]

Given that the photo was probably chosen at random off the internet, there would likely be lots of other (juvenile) things worldwide that it could be as well - especially as it's sitting in a fig tree... 🤣

 

[dantheman]

Given that the photo was probably chosen at random off the internet, there would likely be lots of other (juvenile) things worldwide that it could be as well - especially as it's sitting in a fig tree... 🤣

Hmmm ... it definitely isn't a European Robin as a juvenile would be spotty whilst still having the yellow gape?

Agree not a Wren. ;-)

(Fig trees and Robins do coincide in Southern Europe of course).

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Surely a Robin moulting into adult plumage.

 

[dantheman]

Agree looking at images online, although hard to see pics of juveniles advancing this far into adult plumage whilst retaining the yellow 'juvvie gape'/lower yellow mandible.

Interesting question (imo) - what are the timings involved?

 

[_pauls]

what are the timings involved

Well it looks like April if you look at the bottom of the image

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Robins moult into adult plumage within 2 months of fledging (apparently); one of the first pictures to appear on searching for “Robin moulting into adult plumage” has the yellow gape and red breast combination (although head moult is not completed).

 

[dantheman]

Well it looks like April if you look at the bottom of the image

That's not what I meant ... ;-) (Although April a bit early for a fairly long fledged Robin, even in S Europe?!?)

Robins moult into adult plumage within 2 months of fledging (apparently); one of the first pictures to appear on searching for “Robin moulting into adult plumage” has the yellow gape and red breast combination (although head moult is not completed).

Some of the pics do indeed, but not quite as advanced at an initial glance. I was under the impression that the yellow gape was a very temporary thing (couple of days to a week?) to help the parents feed the young in the initial short period after leaving the nest. In which case could this be an actual yellow lower mandible as opposed to the juv yellow gape? Or do they retain the yellow gape longer?

 

[RichieTwitchy]

You can grow fig trees in the UK so don't let that put you off track.

 

[_pauls]

That's not what I meant ... ;-) (Although April a bit early for a fairly long fledged Robin, even in S Europe?!?)


Some of the pics do indeed, but not quite as advanced at an initial glance. I was under the impression that the yellow gape was a very temporary thing (couple of days to a week?) to help the parents feed the young in the initial short period after leaving the nest. In which case could this be an actual yellow lower mandible as opposed to the juv yellow gape? Or do they retain the yellow gape longer?

Sorry Dan that was meant to be a joke

 

[dantheman]

Sorry Dan that was meant to be a joke

I know (I did put an old fashioned smiley in mine too ;-) ). Just being technical - although it is April there is no guarantee the photo was taken in April either ...

 

[dantheman]

You can grow fig trees in the UK so don't let that put you off track.

True - I was thinking of the one in the parents garden in France, there is also one in a garden in Porthleven, Cornwall I've worked in.

Back from post #2 when Butty mentioned it could be anything I too wondered if it would be something exotic briefly, an asian flycatcher perhaps. But then, as we all know, Robins are Flycatchers ... (and no idea if you get many similar ficus species on other parts of the world, or just a figment of my imagination ... ;-) )

Still interested in knowing more about the yellow bill on these young birds ... BWP or one of the bird encyclopedias have anything?

 

[vilbs]

Thanks for all the comments! I found the photo attribution on the back of the calendar and found the photographer's collection online. The photographer is London based and all the bird shots are very "normal" London park type birds predominantly Swans and .... Robins. So my money is on a young Robin

Getty Images

Getty Images UK. Find high resolution royalty-free images, editorial stock photos, vector art, video footage clips and stock music licensing at the richest image search photo library online.

www.gettyimages.co.uk

 

[vilbs]

Thanks for all the comments! I found the photo attribution on the back of the calendar and found the photographer's collection online. The photographer is London based and all the bird shots are very "normal" London park type birds predominantly Swans and .... Robins. So my money is on a young Robin

Getty Images

Getty Images UK. Find high resolution royalty-free images, editorial stock photos, vector art, video footage clips and stock music licensing at the richest image search photo library online.

www.gettyimages.co.uk

And the link to the photographer's collection is Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images

 

[RichieTwitchy]

...just a figment of my imagination ... ;-) )

...

Very good