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request id woodpecker in Bucharest (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Earnest lad
- Start date
Birdbrain22
Well-known member
Pretty sure it is a Great-spotted... but wait for a confirmation from that side of the pond.
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
Ditto to female Syrian - as well as the lack of a cheek bar, also the small size of the white spots in the tail.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
The small black patch at the base of the upper mandible says GSW
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KenM
Well-known member
I believe that GSW and SW do hybridise. :eek!:
lou salomon
the birdonist
they do. but, even if we wouldn't see the cheek stripe in this image (which i doubt), GSW is much rarer inside the city of bucharest than syrian. and this looks like a female syrian, for the reasons mentioned above.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
lou salomon
the birdonist
no, it is valid. but are we sure that dark patch is the small featering above bill base? you may be right though...
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
The black by the bill is just darkness looking up its nostril. The feathering at the base of the top of the bill is orangey-brown - probably staining from wood chips in its nest hole, but if genuine colour, that might make the hybrid option more realistic.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
It looks distinct from the nostril which is clearly, separately visible, I don't think it's just shadow.
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Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
I've blown up the pic to x2 size and brightened slightly - looks to me even more like staining now, with quite a bit of staining on the rest of the feathers too. Definitely not black feathers above the bill.
Black streaks on the lower flanks also favour Syrian.
[edit - removed copyright photo]
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Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Stlll looks like feathering to me and the 'black streaks' look like gaps in the feathering to me, flank streaking should be much finer than this?
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Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
Yep, it's feathering above the bill, but it's not black!
The coarseness of the flank streaks I'd think is just a side effect of enlarging the pic - while it makes things easier to visualise, it does also cut the quality.
A side issue, you time to time alter and re-post images - even though the original photographers probably have no objection, you need to obtain their permission before re-posting.
Earnest lad
Well-known member
Dear colleagues
Thank you for your kind inputs.
I guess the score seems to be 3 - 3
Much like Spain and Portugal in the World Cup.
Seriously - perhaps Mr Salomon 's comment about the relative scarcity of Great Spotted Woodpecker in Bucharest in comparison to Syrian Woodpecker might lean one toward the latter.
Thank you for your kind inputs.
I guess the score seems to be 3 - 3
Much like Spain and Portugal in the World Cup.
Seriously - perhaps Mr Salomon 's comment about the relative scarcity of Great Spotted Woodpecker in Bucharest in comparison to Syrian Woodpecker might lean one toward the latter.
Earnest lad
Well-known member
Of course one's informed opinions and knowledgeable comments are much appreciated, as is the case on this occasion.
One understands that not in every instance is a conclusive diagnosis possible. This may be to do with the limitations of the photograph, or other factors. For example the angle of the bird's head relation to the camera in regard to the photo of the putative Syrian Woodpecker, perhaps precludes one from absolutely eliminating the possibility of there not being a vertical black stripe on the cheek.
Take for example a similar situation - a photo of Great Spotted Woodpecker here taken in the UK- to my less than expert eyes I see little that would separate the bird on the left from the putative Syrian Woodpecker in my earlier attachment.
By the way, does anyone know please if the Great Spotted Woodpecker IS to be found in Bucharest - is it (common) (uncommon) (scarce) (rare).?
One understands that not in every instance is a conclusive diagnosis possible. This may be to do with the limitations of the photograph, or other factors. For example the angle of the bird's head relation to the camera in regard to the photo of the putative Syrian Woodpecker, perhaps precludes one from absolutely eliminating the possibility of there not being a vertical black stripe on the cheek.
Take for example a similar situation - a photo of Great Spotted Woodpecker here taken in the UK- to my less than expert eyes I see little that would separate the bird on the left from the putative Syrian Woodpecker in my earlier attachment.
By the way, does anyone know please if the Great Spotted Woodpecker IS to be found in Bucharest - is it (common) (uncommon) (scarce) (rare).?
Attachments
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The original photo is a crop from https://theurbanbirderworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Bucharest-Syrian-Woodpecker-D-Eades.jpg (at https://theurbanbirderworld.com/bucharest-birding/). Is the question whether it is mislabelled?
Is kasfig the same person as D.Eades?
