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Blue flycatcher from Vietnam (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter orientaldkf
- Start date
Grahame Walbridge
Well-known member
Its a male Cuckooshrike, either an Indochinese (resident) or a Black-winged (winters) but the images are very poor quality making assessment less than straightforward. The white tips to the underside of the tail appear quite extensive, virtually overlapping, which would suggest Indochinese but I am by no means certain. Black-winged typically shows clear black between the white tips but the angle is making it difficult to assess with certainty.
Grahame
Grahame
Last edited:
orientaldkf
Well-known member
Both of you are right, it's a cuckooshrike and seems to be an Indochinese. Will try to check other photos for better angles. The tail did throw me off but somehow I was fixated on it being a flycatcher.
First of all, I know HBW states that Black-winged is a non-breeding visitor to Cat Tien, but I saw it there in late May last year. I'll ask my Vietnamese birding friend if he's seen it in the breeding season.
There are some images on the net of Black-winged with extensive white tips to the undertail feathers, e.g. this one: https://www.hbw.com/ibc/photo/black...alage-melaschistos/black-winged-cuckoo-shrike. However, as Grahame mentioned, the tips don't seem to overlap on this species.
Overall I would slightly favour Indochinese but am not sure.
There are some images on the net of Black-winged with extensive white tips to the undertail feathers, e.g. this one: https://www.hbw.com/ibc/photo/black...alage-melaschistos/black-winged-cuckoo-shrike. However, as Grahame mentioned, the tips don't seem to overlap on this species.
Overall I would slightly favour Indochinese but am not sure.
arcadillor
Well-known member
Indochinese cuckooshrike agree
Can you say why?
arcadillor
Well-known member
male black winged cuckooshrike have blackish wings（include secondaries） forming more contrasty to upperparts especially the rump
this bird has grey wing，secondaries with broad grey edges and more white on tips of rectrices
orientaldkf
Well-known member
Unfortunately I don't have much better angles, bird was rather high up in the tree. Would be interested to know if black-winged can be found there during the breeding season.
