Golden whistler or Grey Shrike Thrush? (1 Viewer)

[Julian1v]

One for Australian experts here. I have a regular visitor to my garden. ( I live a little south of Adelaide, South Australia ) I thought it was an immature Golden Whistler at first but then began to wonder if it is a Grey Shrike Thrush because of streaking on the neck. The problem for me is its white tail tip. .From what I can see in the various pictures on web sites and in my bird books, this tip colour is neither shown not mentioned. in descriptions of either bird.I am leaning towards the Shrike Thrush but unsure.Any thoughts?

 

[THE_FERN]

Not a Whistler. Grey shrikethrush sounds reasonable (although I've no book in front of me)

 

[Julian1v]

Thanks for that. Both species are local but this bird's behaviour definitely reflects descriptions of the Shrike Thrush. The white tail tips are the only feature that doesn't get mentioned in the bird guides

 

[Butty]

The white tail tips are the only feature that doesn't get mentioned in the bird guides

...and nor can I find a photo of grey shrikethrush that matches it. Also, the tail looks much too short. I don't have a better option though.

 

[James Jobling]

?Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans, which has white tail-tip, and can I discern faint whitish outertails?

 

[sicklebill]

This an odd one, shape is OK for Grey Shrikethrush as is colour, and no hook tip to the bill rules whichever version of Golden Whistler occurs there (?Western), but the white tail tips are anomalous and not a feature of this genus. I suspect it's an aberrant Grey Shrikethrush.

 

[Julian1v]

Thanks for your thoughts on this one. I have a suspicion that the tail feathers may have regrown after losing the previous ones but not sure. (;I have noticed the local magpies chasing it every now and then ). I will take another photo when I get a chance and see whether there is any difference in tail length.

 

[Julian1v]

There is a picture in the following article from E bird Australia ( I don't want to screenshot it without permission ) that seems to show a white hint at the end of the tail.

Golden Whistlers: Not Always Golden - eBird Australia

Identifying LBJs (little brown jobs) provides some of the biggest challenges to birders. They are little, they are brownish, and it is often a hard job to identify them.

ebird.org

 

[Julian1v]

?Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans, which has white tail-tip, and can I discern faint whitish outertails?

I see what you mean. This little character doesn't appear to behave in the manner that my bird books detail for Jacky and also looks a little more robust. The colours are similar though. All so confusing for a beginner.

 

[sicklebill]

Shape entirely wrong for Jack Winter, an open country bird with white outer tail feathers, and different colour; very strange tail though but I stick with Grey Shrikethrush