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Mystery bird, Dalat, Vietnam (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter andyb39
- Start date
Grahame Walbridge
Well-known member
Male Grey Bushchat.
Grahame
Grahame
I wouldn't normally question you Grahame, but this bird was definitely not Grey Bushchat. I coincidentally saw a pair of Grey Bushchats this afternoon, my first encounter with the species, and the bird in the picture was very different. For a start, the mantle was darkish chestnut. I have also ruled out Black-headed Sibia as the form found in Dalat is robinsoni, which is completely different to Dark-backed Sibia. I now think this bird must be a White-cheeked Laughingthrush.
Grahame Walbridge
Well-known member
I was almost swayed and thought I had 'lost it' and completely misjudged the birds size but no....the first image ain't no Laughing Thrush, the structure is completely wrong. In any case, White-cheeked has a black gular stripe which your bird clearly does not. And the flanks are grey; warm buffish-brown as in WCLT.
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/white-cheeked-laughingthrush-dryonastes-vassali/bird-perches-briefly
So, why is it not a Grey Bushchat? Non-breeding males/imm males at this time of year can show extensive rich brown tones to the upper parts.
Grahame
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Grahame Walbridge
Well-known member
In the first image you can just make out the white brow and you can also make out dark centres to the upper parts. In addition, the tail pattern fits Grey Bushchat; white in the tail sides whereas in WCLT the tail feathers are broadly tipped white as can be seen in link provided.
And here's a bird showing the extent of brown in the upper parts; this is gradually lost through wear.
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?p=112&Bird_ID=2549&Bird_Family_ID=&pagesize=1&Location=
Grahame
And here's a bird showing the extent of brown in the upper parts; this is gradually lost through wear.
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?p=112&Bird_ID=2549&Bird_Family_ID=&pagesize=1&Location=
Grahame
birdboybowley
Well-known member.....apparently so ;)
Grey Bushchat for sure
It certainly looks like one from the photos. It's just that I can't match the image of this bird in my memory to any image of Grey Bushchat. I spent yesterday struggling with tricky Phyllocs and Seicercus warblers plus numerous other unfamiliar species and perhaps my brain got so overloaded, I've conflated my memory of this bird with another.... You're definitely right in saying it's not a White-cheeked Laughingthrush - I saw one today and it was completely different, so I guess it must be Grey Bushchat. Thank you for taking the time to point out the error of my ways!
