Id Help - North Sikkim/India - 8 (1 Viewer)

[mihir]

Request id help for these birds clicked in dec 2021 (clicked around Lachen)

1) 2) & 3) 4) Dark breasted rosefinch?
5) Grey Crested Tit?

 

[ratt]

You look correct to me on the first 4.......going to have a good look at my book before commenting on 5.

 

[ratt]

The bill looks long for tit....I wonder if Yuhina is possible......game on!

 

[andyb39]

All correct.

Ratt, Grey-crested Tit is fine for no.5 - it has a white collar, which rules out all the Yuhinas, and the bill looks OK to me.

 

[ratt]

All correct.

Ratt, Grey-crested Tit is fine for no.5 - it has a white collar, which rules out all the Yuhinas, and the bill looks OK to me.

I was looking at Whiskered Yuhina Andy. I have seen many, but only up to 2500m or so.

 

[ratt]

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

I was looking at Whiskered Yuhina Andy. I have seen many, but only up to 2500m or so.

Definitely not Ratt and you say have seen many-really? Then you could have least attached an image of the relevant taxon for Sikkim which is nominate flavicollis rather than albicollis from the W Himalayas.

The OP lacks a white orbital ring and black whisker, not to mention bill and tail structure are completely wrong + wrong bare bare part colouration.

It's a Grey-crested Tit.

Grahame

 

[ratt]

Definitely not Ratt and you say have seen many-really? Then you could have least attached an image of the relevant taxon for Sikkim which is nominate flavicollis rather than albicollis from the W Himalayas.

The OP lacks a white orbital ring and black whisker, not to mention bill and tail structure are completely wrong + wrong bare bare part colouration.

It's a Grey-crested Tit.

Grahame

Yes of course Grahame. I posted this taxon just as a indicator that some Yuhina do show a white collar. And it is also relevant to mention that many Yuhina I have seen don't show a strong orbital ring. I look at the face colour and underpart colour of the OP and don't see Grey-Crested Tit. Brown face and pale underparts.

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

I don´t see something yuhina-like in this bird , to me a good fit for grey crested tit. The rather contrasty white collar is there, the bill is not too long

Oriental Bird Club Image Database : Grey-crested Tit » Lophophanes dichrous

 

[ratt]

I agree with all the comments voting for Grey-Crested. A couple of points that are interesting for me to clarify is where the dividing line between W and E Himalaya for the Yuhina taxon's run. I only have my memory and not records, but I think I was still getting Albicollis in Kalimpong /Lava, and sure around KTM. Also does anyone remember that at times on some Yuhina the eye ring is not seen.

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

I agree with all the comments voting for Grey-Crested. A couple of points that are interesting for me to clarify is where the dividing line between W and E Himalaya for the Yuhina taxon's run. I only have my memory and not records, but I think I was still getting Albicollis in Kalimpong /Lava, and sure around KTM. Also does anyone remember that at times on some Yuhina the eye ring is not seen.

The western limit of flavicollis is C Nepal so your birds in W. Bengal were all this taxon (as in Sikkim), easily confirmed if you had bothered to check online.

Grahame