Advice on this bird from Melbourne.. (1 Viewer)

Tiraya

San Diego CA

• Mar 11, 2010

• #1

Hi,
I am not really one for introductions so I will start this post and go on from there...

Found this flock of birds at the St. Kilda botanic gardens a week or so back and they still continue to puzzle me. I still vote for Weebill (as apposed to Buff-rumped Thornbill) but the buzzy call was distinctive (unlike the pleasant call that it describes in my book. The bill is also much longer than shown in pictures I have found. Any ideas on this?
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/297750

 

S

stonechat1

New member

• Mar 11, 2010

• #2

I´m not familiar with many australian birds, but I don´t believe That your ID fits.
Weebills bill is shorter and stouter, BRT don´t show this clear, bright supercilium like your bird. Opinion just founded on my book, no personaly experience.

 

John_WA

Well-known member

• Mar 11, 2010

• #3

Hi Silverwolf,

IMO, your bird is a White-browed Scrubwren, possibly a young bird judging by the relative dullness of the facial markings. The harsh call fits well with this Id as well

John

 

birdboybowley

Well-known member.....apparently so ;)

• Mar 11, 2010

• #4

White-browed Scrubwren for sure

 

C

csanchez7

Well-known member

• Mar 11, 2010

• #5

White-browed Scrubwren. I saw many of these while birding in southeast Australia.

Carlos

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Mar 11, 2010

• #6

Weebill really have a very small bill and is the smallest bird in Australia IIRC, so not your bird. Agree with a very dark image of a WbSW

Niels

 

P

Parula6

Well-known member

• Mar 12, 2010

• #7

Silverwolf, in case it helps ID this bird in the future: that little black & white patch on the wing at the base of the flight feathers is a really good diagnostic feature for this bird. I've found it's usually quite visible even when just catching a glimpse in the undergrowth.

 

Tiraya

San Diego CA

• Mar 12, 2010

• #8

Thanks for the I.D., I was surprised to find that the thornbills I were chasing were actually something else. The picture of a White-browed Scrub-wrenin my book is of a different pose (which is probably why I was oblivious to it in the first place....) That now ups my count to 36 species in Australia which isn't very impressive but still, considering I've been here for less than a month, stuck in the city.

 

Last edited: Mar 12, 2010