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afghanistan snowfinch？ (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter xujie
- Start date
stonechat1
New member
No doubt, and a nice pic too.
bitterntwisted
Graham Howard Shortt
If this is Afghan Snowfinch is it not out of range, being endemic to the Hindu Kush?
The photo was taken here in China near the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan?... http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=37%C2%B0+7'39.71%22N+74%C2%B054'6.43%22E&ie=UTF8&ll=32.063956,81.694336&spn=19.859081,40.957031&z=5
I know far too little about separating snowfinches to comment on the ID, though.
Graham
The photo was taken here in China near the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan?... http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=37%C2%B0+7'39.71%22N+74%C2%B054'6.43%22E&ie=UTF8&ll=32.063956,81.694336&spn=19.859081,40.957031&z=5
I know far too little about separating snowfinches to comment on the ID, though.
Graham
yes, Another location is here: 37°20'36.99"N 75°24'47.36"E
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Afghanistan snowfinch found in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan。
The photo location is near Afghanistan&Tajikistan。There is Afghanistan's Wakhan corridor leading to China。So it is likely。
I think，The primary flight feathers of this birds are not some with White-winged Snowfinch。
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rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Why? or do you mean, yes it's a Snowfinch in Afghanistan?
xujie/pengkuan
To be honest with you, despite trawling the net rather extensively, I cannot find a single image of Afghan Snowfinch, also know as Theresa's Snowfinch Montifringilla theresae so I would dearly like this rather excellent shot to be of this apparently rare species.
However, looking at various reference sources and illustrations which are presumably based on skins ie Finches and Sparrows by Clement et.al and HBW 14 (where the species is known as Afghan Ground Sparrow), comparisons with this image do not fit IMO. The wing pattern, particularly the primaries are wrong for AS. The primaries should show a rather obvious white wedge midway, the tips to the secondaries should also be dark. I presume these are young birds due to the bill colour and lack of facial markings but to my eye, the features we can see fit White-winged Snowfinch Montifringella nivalis better than the illustrations portray AS. Also, if the illustrations in Clement are accurate, the primary projection/ tip would almost reach the tail tip unlike WWS which fits better with the above image.
I would prefer to be wrong and congratulate you on what may be first decent images of a desired species, but at the moment, I don't think they are Afghan Snowfinch.
Mark
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stonechat1
New member
Rockfowl, I see a Snowfinch (Mon. niv.), never mentioned AS.
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Good we agree then. You see the confusion I hope, you might not have mentioned Afghanistan, just agreed to it
stonechat1
New member
I took Afghanstan as place were the picture was made, not as part of the species name.
Rockfowl, note also the white undertail - coverts which don´t fit with AS.
Rockfowl, note also the white undertail - coverts which don´t fit with AS.
If so, that we strive to get more clearer picture to verify
This photo was taken the time in March, how to interpret the judgments on the young birds?
wittmann
Well-known member
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
The yellow lower mandible would indicate a younger bird so I would assume that these were second brood from the previous year. Most young snowfinch sp appear to have yellow bills and buffier plumage, lacking adult contrast and often facial markings.
Good luck with the quest.
Thank you for your attention。
Although very unlikely to find，We still plan to look for around there this month。
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Nice images, taken last year in July, a fresh juvenile on the right.
here is an image perhaps closer to the original, taking into account date taken and developing plumage - http://picasaweb.google.com/lidstersunbird/MongoliaSunbirdJune2008#5288648920205211186 and http://pl.treknature.com/gallery/Middle_East/Turkey/photo81035.htm and http://www.pbase.com/blomdahl/image/114148050
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