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Pale BOP and Malkoha from Malaysia (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter birdingnige
- Start date
I thought at first the raptor could be a young Blyth's Hawk Eagle, as in the linked image below, but I'm not sure the coverts are gingery enough. I also thought it lacked the broad terminal band of CHE but as it's in partial tail moult, this is misleading.
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=891&Bird_Image_ID=93169
This is the only image of imm Blyth's in flight I could find.
Your bird seems to lack the underpart streaking of CHE, but generally looks more like these birds than the one above. It has a bulkier look to it than that one.
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=889&Bird_Image_ID=80397
The Malkoha could be Black-billed - it's rather uniform in coloration and has a hefty, bright blue-green bill - but I wouldn't like to rule out Chestnut-bellied. How big was it?
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=891&Bird_Image_ID=93169
This is the only image of imm Blyth's in flight I could find.
Your bird seems to lack the underpart streaking of CHE, but generally looks more like these birds than the one above. It has a bulkier look to it than that one.
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=889&Bird_Image_ID=80397
The Malkoha could be Black-billed - it's rather uniform in coloration and has a hefty, bright blue-green bill - but I wouldn't like to rule out Chestnut-bellied. How big was it?
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I see what you mean, but it lacks the broad trailing edge of that species, and I don't think it's found in the area. As far as I know, Jerdon's is a scarce winter visitor to the north of Malysia, e.g. Perlis.
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birdingnige
Member
Many thanks for the replies. I forgot to mention that the BOP was calling continuously, a series of 3 "whistles" which initially drew our attention. Having checked on Xeno-canto the call was spot on for Blyth's Hawk-eagle.
The Malkoha was a large bird, This together with the red orbital skin and quite hefty bill suggests Black-bellied more so than Chestnut-bellied
Ta again
Nige
The Malkoha was a large bird, This together with the red orbital skin and quite hefty bill suggests Black-bellied more so than Chestnut-bellied
Ta again
Nige
viator
Well-known member
Agree Blyth's.
Andy, Jerdon's winters is a scarce visitor down here in Singapore so would be all over peninsular Malaysia
Did you check the call of Changeable Hawk too?
Actually it's Chestnut-bellied that's bigger, although not by that much. Both have red orbital skin - the patch of Black-bellied is a slightly different shape, but we can't judge this from the image - and a large greenish-blue bill. One point in favour of BBM is that the eye on your bird appears to be pale blue. Ultimately it may not be possible to be certain about it, unless you have another angle.
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birdingnige
Member
We heard CHE calling on many occasions and this bird was completely different.
I guess the Malkoha will have to remain as one or the other!
Ta again
Nige
I guess the Malkoha will have to remain as one or the other!
Ta again
Nige
I don't believe so. It is a rare resident in the north of the Peninsula, but I've not seen much evidence of them moving south in winter. I know that Dave Bakewell, the top Malaysian lister, hadn't seen one in Malaysia just a few years ago and may still not have, which must make it fairly scarce.
Looking again at the orbital skin of Chestnut-bellied, it should have a two-tone eyepatch with the skin around the eye slightly orange in tone. I don't think I can see that here, but I'm not sure the image is good enough to be sure.
viator
Well-known member
You are wrong. Jerdon's Baza move through SG in small numbers each year. I've personally seen 10 in the 13 years I've been in SG and have photo records for some of them.
There have been 2 photographed records this month that I'm aware of (12th and 14th) posted on SG Facebook birding groups - which also have Dave on!
Ouch! I think you misinterpreted what I was trying to say, or perhaps I didn't express myself properly. I was never trying to deny that Jerdon's has become almost regular in SG in recent years. I'm also a member of the Bird Sightings FB group and a quick search pulled up well over 20 posts, so there's no doubt about this.
What I was trying to say was that I thought it was extremely unlikely the OP bird was Jerdon's. The location is very far from Singapore. Have you seen one in Peninsular Malaysia? Dave Bakewell hadn't, as of Dec 2013, according to this blog post:
https://digdeep1962.wordpress.com/2013/12/18/langkawi-kedah-13-15-december-2013/
I was trying to say that if he hasn't seen one in PM, few people can have, and it must be pretty scarce there. He may of course have seen one since then, but he hasn't posted about it online. I don't know why they're not seen in Johor en route to Singapore. Lack of coverage?
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viator
Well-known member
Hi Andy, apologies for over-reacting/mis-interpreting. I thought you were trying to say they simply didn't move further Sth than Perlis and hence couldn't be in SG. In terms of the OP we're both in agreement on it not (almost certainly) being Jerdon's.
Yes I've seen in Johor but only once - close to Ayer Hitam when heading towards the coast (Batu Pahat) which was in Mar 2011.
Yes I've seen in Johor but only once - close to Ayer Hitam when heading towards the coast (Batu Pahat) which was in Mar 2011.
Nige,
I blew up and adjusted your Malkoha shot, and I reckon the deep red of the orbital skin is better for BB Malkoha than CB. Here are some images for comparison.
Black-bellied Malkoha:
http://www.besgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/MalkohaBlBel-AmarSingh-3.jpg
http://orientalbirdimages.org/images/data/blackbellied_malkoha_jw.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9d/a5/38/9da5381ddc884e28eb454efbd0ee0a59.jpg
Chestnut-bellied Malkoha:
http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/67/67A...-bellied-malkoha-with-insect-prey-in-beak.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VWV4J79thhE/TH0HfBY8trI/AAAAAAAAAI0/zwdmtFWrEhA/s1600/DSC_4379+2+W900.jpg
http://orientalbirdimages.org/images/data/greenbilled_malkoha_phaenicophaeus_tristis.jpg (mislabelled)
I blew up and adjusted your Malkoha shot, and I reckon the deep red of the orbital skin is better for BB Malkoha than CB. Here are some images for comparison.
Black-bellied Malkoha:
http://www.besgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/MalkohaBlBel-AmarSingh-3.jpg
http://orientalbirdimages.org/images/data/blackbellied_malkoha_jw.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9d/a5/38/9da5381ddc884e28eb454efbd0ee0a59.jpg
Chestnut-bellied Malkoha:
http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/67/67A...-bellied-malkoha-with-insect-prey-in-beak.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VWV4J79thhE/TH0HfBY8trI/AAAAAAAAAI0/zwdmtFWrEhA/s1600/DSC_4379+2+W900.jpg
http://orientalbirdimages.org/images/data/greenbilled_malkoha_phaenicophaeus_tristis.jpg (mislabelled)
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No worries - I didn't express myself very carefully.
I was a little uncertain about the eagle, as I could only find one image of an immature Blyth's, and I've only seen adults. Out of interest, have you seen any other images anywhere? Blyth's is certainly the default Hawk Eagle up on Fraser's Hill, but I have seen Changeable Hawk Eagle up there once, so I thought that needed to be eliminated. It sounds like it's been ruled out on call now.
Bryon Wright
Well-known member
Hi all,
think most have identified this eagle correctly including birdingnige. Would expect CHE to be pure white underneath with very narrow tail bands but CHE is so variable throughout. The nuptial call of CHE is a very distinctive non raptor like wader like whistling. They never shut up for weeks at a time as well. IMO birdingnige heard the more plaintive whistle of BHE according to his own account. All the hawk-eagles however are likely in the area, bar one.
think most have identified this eagle correctly including birdingnige. Would expect CHE to be pure white underneath with very narrow tail bands but CHE is so variable throughout. The nuptial call of CHE is a very distinctive non raptor like wader like whistling. They never shut up for weeks at a time as well. IMO birdingnige heard the more plaintive whistle of BHE according to his own account. All the hawk-eagles however are likely in the area, bar one.
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