Red Breasted or Taiga Flycatcher? (1 Viewer)

HokkaidoStu · Sep 22, 2011

I took these pics almost 2 years ago, late November 2009 in south Hokkaido Japan.

Taiga Flycatcher is a scarce migrant in Japan and had been recently spilt from Red Breasted Flycatcher. I assumed the latter was to the west and the former here in the east. One reader of my blog suggested at the time it may have been a Red Breasted (now a real rarity in Japan) but to be honest they look so similar I couldn't really tell the difference and assumed it was a Taiga Flycatcher and I forgot all about it.

Now a couple of others (on flickr) have suggested once again it may be a Red Breasted.

3 heavily cropped pics are attached. Any opinions gratefully received.......

chris butterworth · Sep 22, 2011

By the amount of black on the uppertail coverts ( quite extensive ) I'd go with Taiga Fly.

Chris

HokkaidoStu · Sep 22, 2011

Thanks Chris...............

Taiga would be the 'default' species in Japan, like I say some birders more knowledgeable than me had sown the seeds of doubt.

stenura · Sep 22, 2011

IMO the warm buffish hues over the breast, the pale upper tail coverts (perhaps even paler than average RBF?) and pale base to lover mandible, makes this a very likely Red-breasted fly.

Gordon · Sep 22, 2011

Checking the literature I'd have to agree with the points Stenura made and agree with RBF.

cheers
Gordon

mäkpe · Sep 22, 2011

stenura said:
IMO the warm buffish hues over the breast, the pale upper tail coverts (perhaps even paler than average RBF?) and pale base to lover mandible, makes this a very likely Red-breasted fly.

Also indistinct pale edges on tertials and buff-toned tips to greater coverts are better for Red-breasted.

HokkaidoStu · Sep 22, 2011

Thanks for the replies, looks like it may be a RBF then...........

stenura · Sep 22, 2011

HokkaidoStu said:
Thanks for the replies, looks like it may be a RBF then...........

In my opinion, yes! I can not find one single pro-albicilla character in your bird...

gandytron · Sep 23, 2011

very interesting, it does look promising for RBF. The point noted already by makpe -buff-toned tips to greater coverts - is something that I think is often under-rated as a feature for seperating these two spp. I see a lot of Taiga Flys on my local patch and the greater covert fringing on these birds always looks "cold" in comparison to RBF.

Lower mandible colour is often cited as a good feature but I must admit that I find it a bit unreliable, having seen a few Taiga Flys with a hint of pale base, and I have seen some photos of RBFs with apparently all-dark bills.

Of course the end of the matter will come when you hear the bird call!

stenura · Sep 23, 2011

gandytron said:
The point noted already by makpe -buff-toned tips to greater coverts - is something that I think is often under-rated as a feature for seperating these two spp.

Agree

gandytron said:
Lower mandible colour is often cited as a good feature but I must admit that I find it a bit unreliable, having seen a few Taiga Flys with a hint of pale base, and I have seen some photos of RBFs with apparently all-dark bills.

Many albicilla show a pale base to lower mandible, but it is generally a rather small pale area restricted to the innermost parts of the bill. I often find it more well defined than in parva (which normally shows a larger and more diffusely set off pale base, frequently with only the tip being dark). In field/photos parva often gives a false impression of having an all dark lower mandible, but this is generally an effect of the light conditions (lower mandible is often i shadow). Some parva bills are indeed a bit darker, but I still find the character quite useful in most individuals (esp. in hand-held birds).

HokkaidoStu · Sep 23, 2011

gandytron said:
Of course the end of the matter will come when you hear the bird call!

It was nearly 2 years ago when I saw it I'm afraid....................

carmojp · Sep 23, 2011

Looks good for RBF Stuart. The tail colour is also good for RBF.

Red Breasted or Taiga Flycatcher? (1 Viewer)

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