Help with Vietnam bird id (1 Viewer)

[miketaylor]

Hi all,

In Aug 2016 I visited Vietnam on a family group tour, so there were very limited birding opportunities. I managed to get a few bird photos, which are on Flickr at: https://flic.kr/s/aHskDN23cE

I'm sure they are all common species, and I think I've managed to identify most of them correctly, but would appreciate it if someone could have a look through the pics to confirm the id. There are 41 bird photos, and one photo of a squirrel species.

Many thanks!

Regards,
Mike

 

[andyb39]

Most of your IDs seem to be correct.

6332 is a Tree Sparrow.

6838 is Common Tailorbird.

The Prinia (6953-62) is Plain Prinia.

The Cuckoo sp. in 7005 is Plaintive Cuckoo.

7013-16 is male Brown-throated Sunbird.

 

[miketaylor]

@andyb39 - many thanks!

There were also large numbers of two different swift species in Saigon city centre around the Rex Hotel (on 7th August).

One species was black, with a white rump, similar in size to Common Swift, and nesting under the eaves of buildings opposite the Rex Hotel - I've identified this as House Swift.

The other species was brown, and smaller than Common Swift. I can't remember whether it had a pale rump. Would this be Germain's Swiftlet, or something else?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Larry Sweetland]

@andyb39 - many thanks!

There were also large numbers of two different swift species in Saigon city centre around the Rex Hotel (on 7th August).

One species was black, with a white rump, similar in size to Common Swift, and nesting under the eaves of buildings opposite the Rex Hotel - I've identified this as House Swift.

The other species was brown, and smaller than Common Swift. I can't remember whether it had a pale rump. Would this be Germain's Swiftlet, or something else?

Thanks,
Mike

the small brown one could also be Asian Palm Swift

 

[miketaylor]

the small brown one could also be Asian Palm Swift

Thanks. We saw Asian Palm Swift in Hue, and I remember it had very thin wings compared to Common Swift. The brown swifts in Saigon didn't, and I've identified them as Germain's based on a website I found listing the birds of Saigon - just wanted to check there were no other possibilities.

Mike

 

[miketaylor]

Another id question - on our boat trip on the Mekong Delta on 9th August I saw a couple of what I thought were Barn Swallows over a very wide part of the river. When I consulted the Craig Robson book I read that Pacific Swallow would be more likely on range and time of year, but Barn Swallow occurs as a passage migrant. But would 9th August be too early? The birds were some distance away so I didn't get a close look at them.

Mike

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Another id question - on our boat trip on the Mekong Delta on 9th August I saw a couple of what I thought were Barn Swallows over a very wide part of the river. When I consulted the Craig Robson book I read that Pacific Swallow would be just more likely on range and time of year, but Barn Swallow occurs as a passage migrant. But would 9th August be too early? The birds were some distance away so I didn't get a close look at them.

Mike

I would imagine Barn would be just as likely.