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A few from India (recent and old) (1 Viewer)

U

ugolino

Well-known member
Dear all,
I was lucky to finally encounter last month, though at great distance, a slender-billed Vulture (on the left) as it now completes and "finishes" the Vulture family (Old World and New World) for me. In photo 1, there are two other vultures on the right... but I am having difficulties establishing whether these other two are juvenile SBV, or simply Griffon Vultures. I also attach photo 2 of another bird taken nearby that looks exactly like these two.... as it might help ID the first 2.
Photo 3 shows what I had called years ago a grey-bellied Cuckoo, taken in the Rajahstan in Spring, but now not sure at all, and would be grateful for your help.
I also attach 2 Pipits taken last month at high altitude in Singhalila NP to check whether I am right in calling photo 4 an Upland P. and photo 5 an Olive-backed P.
Thank you all in advance, ugolino
 

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  • Slender-billed Vulture IND 9177.JPG
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  • IND_9036.JPG
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  • Grey-bellied Cuckoo IND 6769.JPG
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  • Upland Pipit IND 4762.JPG
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  • Olive-backed Pipit IND 6648.JPG
    Olive-backed Pipit IND 6648.JPG
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Not sure about the Vultures right now as I need to check some references, but I agree with Grey-bellied Cuckoo for no. 3. However, I think no. 4 is Olive-backed and no. 5 could be Rosy.
 
Apologies for sending back up, in the hope that someone will be able to help or have an opinion.
Many thanks in advance, ugolino
 
Tram lines on back of No4 would suggest either Red-throated or Rosy, possibly Red-throated.

No5 possibly Rosy by the darker cheeks, presuming both are present in that area.

Not going to attempt the others.
 
I'm struggling to see tramlines on no. 4. I'm seeing a buff lore, white super above and behind the eye and buff ear-coverts with a dark spot to the rear. It doesn't really have the characteristic white spot behind the eye of OBP, but there is a white area there.
 
Slender-billed Vulture

Thank you all... still hoping that someone will be able to help with the vultures.
Ugolino
 
My guesses are based on the many Rosy and Olive-backeds I see in Kathmandu valley in winter:
4. Red-throated, the orange is already showing (March-April?). When Rosy Pipit starts to show colors in spring, it shows real rosy, not orange. None of the typical OB Pipit things are seen in this bird.
5. Olive-backed Pipit. If an OB Pipit looks you straight in the eye like this, you cannot see the light patch behind the ear (as example, this reply should have a pic of an OB Pipit from my garden in Kathmandu attached). A Rosy is still possible, but I never saw a Rosy sit on top of a tree. By the way, none of all my pics of Rosy and Olivebacked from Kathmandu shows such dense black breast barring.

As for the vultures, if you dont see one more reply after this to reflect on the vultures, also I will have disappointed you :)
Best, Arend
 

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Before the vultures, the blackish bird.
My guess is it is not a Grey-bellied cuckoo. I attach two Grey-bellied cuckoos (one hepatic) that (very stealthily) graced my area in Kathmandu in past years in the post-breeding season and I find the bill and head shape more bulbullish than GB Cuckoo-ish. It is not a defining factor, but bulbuls like lantana shrub (in your pic), while GB Cuckoo I have always seen more in trees and on perches
I have however not a clear proposal. It also does ot seem to be a BW cuckoo-shrike. A very dark Red-vented Bulbul?
Best, Arend
 

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Last edited:
Vultures: I am not an expert and often the discussions about them can be frustrating. After looking at your pics and guides and books like Naoroji's, also I am undecided. My best guess is that "the three" are all long-billed, as the two at the right look like birds that are shown as LBV juveniles in "the books". The sizes seem bigger than the adult, but in book pics this intra-species size difference also happens, I see. Male-female differences, optical effects? The one vulture pic can be LBV or White-backed Vulture, imvho. For me not stripy and feathered-tarsus enough to be Himalayan and not rufous and light-color-headed enough for Eurasian. I hope there are birdforum-ers with more expertise. Best, Arend
 
Thank you Nutcracker... I should have said families...
Thank you all, good to see that I am not the only one to struggle...
 
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