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Isabelline Wheatear (ISRAEL) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Orvany24
- Start date
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
One or the other, yes. I wouldn't like to say which from this photo.
CARERY
Well-known member
Ken, I'd say your bird from Cyprus looks better for Northern - not as pale as I would expect also the dark lores are not contrasting enough. Whereas the OP bird seems fine for Isabelline IMO.
I'm glad I'm not on my own! Agree that Kens bird looks better for Northern.
RafaelMatias
Unknown member
CARERY
Well-known member
Difficult bird. After brightening it surely looks more like an Isabelline now.
RafaelMatias
Unknown member
Yep, I think it is one (both birds actually). There's one greater covert a bit out of place that allows us to see that the (barely) darker center of the exposed one is not as it should be in Northern Wheatear, lacking contrast. Can't see anything really wrong for one (especially having in mind it's a Spring bird).
CARERY
Well-known member
This is exactly the point!
Pavel
Well-known member
I agree with Orvany24 and SJC too, Isabelline Wheatear, but apologies, your Cyprus bird doesn't look quite Isabeline to mee. The shape doesn't fit enough - the neck isn't strong enough and the head doesn't look big enough, also there shouldn't be a contrasting white throat and chest against the rest of the bird, Isabeline has uniform pattern and NO contrast, NO white throat...
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KenM
Well-known member
I'm having considerable difficulty reconciling your image with Isabelline, it looks very much like a 1st year Northern to me.
Cheers
CARERY
Well-known member
Funny thread this one... Two rather blurred photos of wheatears and then a very good one but still controversy about the ID. This illustrates how difficult this species pair is and that it's possibly the better approach to be more cautious...
To me the bird from Pavel is a Isabelline because of the plain GC and comparatively short PP.
To me the bird from Pavel is a Isabelline because of the plain GC and comparatively short PP.
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KenM
Well-known member
Over the last three years I've seen circa 5 birds (Isabelline Wheatear) on Cyprus, and in the field they are glaringly obvious as such. Apart from appearing to be long legged and erect, they look almost washed out compared to Northern. The concolourous sandy grey uppers, and white chin/throat, forebrow and underparts set it apart from Northern, and to my eye the wash on the chest has a warmer almost pinky buff look to it when seen in good light. When I first saw Orvany's image the cosmetics "screamed" Isabelline to me, although that said, it's probably a species generally best seen in the field....as single frame images can often be left wanting.
Cheers
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
An interesting point from Beaman and Madge, when Isabelline stands upright as they often do, the tail is always short of the ground whilst in Northern it's almost touching, 'Issy' should also have contrasting, black alula, obscured in the last bird.
A
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