By no means a specialist of Ficedula but I'd agree with Lou. This bird shows a GC bar. I think you meant median coverts bar Lou? Also the amount of white at the base of the primaries is better for Collared.
By no means a specialist of Ficedula but I'd agree with Lou. This bird shows a GC bar. I think you meant median coverts bar Lou? Also the amount of white at the base of the primaries is better for Collared.
Ok for the wing pattern, but what about the tail ?
First year Collared Flycatcher have a lot of white on the outer rectrices.
http://www.ringersdigiguide.ottenby.se/ficedula-albicollis/autumn/
Black wings seem to be normal for all 1cy. AFAIK the extent of white at the bases of the primaries can be used for sexing...
Are there any extra pics of this bird, Ody?
2 questions there:
- Is it universally accepted or definitely established that female-type Semi-collared should always have white tipped median coverts? See for instance this bird photographed by Tom Jenner in Sudan: http://birdingsudan.blogspot.com/2011/09/migrants-today-at-tuti.html?m=1 (scroll down). Problem: is it really a semi-collared? Based on tertials pattern, Tom’s ageing is correct but his ID is seemingly based on tail pattern, which is not that useful in autumn, except when the tail is spread. Tom says Collared is rare in Sudan and while this may well be true I have first hand experience of massive falls of Collared flycatchers in Central African Republic in spring...
- On what ground is it a 1cy? Some experienced ringers who regularly hold Ficedula in their hand may have an opinion on age before going to minutiae but on a picture that doesn’t show the tertials pattern, nor the the greater coverts nor the shape of the rectrices or primary coverts...I think one should be careful to say the least.
Age seems particularly important to determine in this case as if it is a 1cy the extent of the primary patch would strongely point to Collared I believe, but if it is an adult the primary patch looks also just fine for a male Semi-collared (but an answer to my question may solve this part).
In answer to your 1st question, according to Mild in autumn a significant number of adults lack white tips to the median covs. but no mention of 1st-w's. However, Tom's bird from Sudan is IMO a 1w male Collared based on the amount of white in the primaries and tertials. I am not certain whether the pale nape is real or due to lighting but Semicollared apparently always lacks this feature.
Re age I suspect the OP bird is an adult due to the extensive black outer coverts but I'd like to confirm with e.g tertial pattern which cannot be judged unequivocally from this angle.
Agree with Tib we need more images.
Grahame
One thing is for sure, the OP bird is no adult male which would show completely white GC's.
Roland, I don't know if you have a copy of Shirihai & Svensson (2018) but look at the plate (top/r) on p56 in Vol 2 which depicts an adult male in Sep with considerably reduced white in the gc's, similar to 1st-w. And here is another example, though a little later in the season.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320237531_First_record_of_Collared_Flycatcher_Ficedula_albicollis_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates
Grahame
Roland, I don't know if you have a copy of Shirihai & Svensson (2018) but look at the plate (top/r) on p56 in Vol 2 which depicts an adult male in Sep with considerably reduced white in the gc's, similar to 1st-w. And here is another example, though a little later in the season.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320237531_First_record_of_Collared_Flycatcher_Ficedula_albicollis_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates
Shirihai & Svensson text for Autumn Ad reads 'Both male/fem appear much as fem in spring, but upper parts browner, less grey, more like Pied; thus, black upper parts, white on forehead, white collar and white in wing (except on primaries) of male moulted to fem-like appearance'
Demongin gives complete Postbreeding moult for Collared 06-07 [-mid Sep] so, presumably the Shetland bird has not completed its moult.
Grahame