Who can identify this birds taken in Ethiopia in february ( Ziway lake region , rift valley ) . Thanks you
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Ethiopian birds (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter notjes
- Start date
bassel
Well-known member
Hello again
Actually regarding the wheatear , I am not very good with them. but I got to my guide and it states that isabelline is little larger than female northern , stands very upright( your wheatear seems little good to fit this description ) , and it has a stronger bill than female northern( also bill seems strong in the pic). But I am sure that others are much more better than me and will give better and more precise and good answers than mine. so lets see other's opinions.
2-between african and mountain thrush , I believed its african since , the orange is restricted to the flanks and not extending to the lower breast. Also the habitat( I think mountain thrush is likely to be seen more in the ethiopian highlands.
3-the seedeater , I am sure not reinchenow's. I am confused between stripe breasted and streaky . I am going towards stripe-breasted(the spericilium seems longer than in streaky.) but lets see others opinions also.
Actually regarding the wheatear , I am not very good with them. but I got to my guide and it states that isabelline is little larger than female northern , stands very upright( your wheatear seems little good to fit this description ) , and it has a stronger bill than female northern( also bill seems strong in the pic). But I am sure that others are much more better than me and will give better and more precise and good answers than mine. so lets see other's opinions.
2-between african and mountain thrush , I believed its african since , the orange is restricted to the flanks and not extending to the lower breast. Also the habitat( I think mountain thrush is likely to be seen more in the ethiopian highlands.
3-the seedeater , I am sure not reinchenow's. I am confused between stripe breasted and streaky . I am going towards stripe-breasted(the spericilium seems longer than in streaky.) but lets see others opinions also.
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Brian J Small
Well-known member
Hi Notjes
Isabelline not Northern - as suggested
African not Mountain
My gut reaction on sunbird was Beautiful due to the green feathers coming through on the belly
IMO Reichenow's not Stripe-breasted - note yellow rump, but it does have a confusing head pattern - slightly more prominent super and malar stripe than normal http://www.planetscott.com/img/5855/large/reichards-seedeater-(serinus-reichardi).jpg
Brian S
cuckooroller
Registered User
Brian,
I don't think the Sunbird is pulchellus. No sign of central streamers, and the terminal tail should be more rounded even if they were not yet growing in, also we can just see the last of the undertail coverts and they are not edged green (as should be in pulchellus). I am still stuck between habessinicus, and mariquensis, slightly favoring the former until now. I am wondering if the species (habessinicus) actually does have an eclipse phase for the ranging habessinicus (I can't find mention of it in the Cheke & Mann) though Nik Borrow has a photo uploaded to AfBID (the Djibouti ranging race alter) that he identifies as an adult eclipse male (actually, he calls it non-breeding male).
I don't think the Sunbird is pulchellus. No sign of central streamers, and the terminal tail should be more rounded even if they were not yet growing in, also we can just see the last of the undertail coverts and they are not edged green (as should be in pulchellus). I am still stuck between habessinicus, and mariquensis, slightly favoring the former until now. I am wondering if the species (habessinicus) actually does have an eclipse phase for the ranging habessinicus (I can't find mention of it in the Cheke & Mann) though Nik Borrow has a photo uploaded to AfBID (the Djibouti ranging race alter) that he identifies as an adult eclipse male (actually, he calls it non-breeding male).
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Brian J Small
Well-known member
Steve
You are probably right. I didn't do any checking, just reacted to the green belly feathers.
Brian S
You are probably right. I didn't do any checking, just reacted to the green belly feathers.
Brian S
cuckooroller
Registered User
notjes,
For the Sunbird - the bill looks too weak for mariquensis. Best guess is therefore what you thought originally - habessinicus. I don't know, however, if it is a juvenile or not. I see no softness at the flange though I would think that an adult male would have a blacker bill. If the species does have an eclipse phase in the non-breeding male, and I am not sure of this, then that is what it might be rather than a juvenile bird.
For the Sunbird - the bill looks too weak for mariquensis. Best guess is therefore what you thought originally - habessinicus. I don't know, however, if it is a juvenile or not. I see no softness at the flange though I would think that an adult male would have a blacker bill. If the species does have an eclipse phase in the non-breeding male, and I am not sure of this, then that is what it might be rather than a juvenile bird.
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