ID Wheatear FROM KUWAIT (1 Viewer)

[RASHED]

From Kuwait In5-10-2009

 

[Lappkrabben]

Variable wheatear (Oenanthe picata picata) would be my suggestion. But that's more of a guess.

 

[Brian J Small]

I would tend to agree with Mattias, this looks like a Variable/Eastern Pied Wheatear - a male in fresh autumn plumage (and looks like an adult) - it certainly doesn't look like Pied, Cyprus or E Black-eared. As to race, Mattias suggests picata and this could well be right.

Check out http://www.birdsoman.com/Birds/130-Thrushes/EasternPiedWheatear/EasternPiedWheatear.htm

Brian S

 

[timwootton]

Just a question - is the amount of white fringing to the greater coverts and secondary flights a photographic artefact or is this feature non-diagnostic for the suggested species (it's just there's no obvious fringing to the bird in Brian's excellent link).

 

[Brian J Small]

Hi Tim

As in other wheatear species in autumn, I suspect that the white fringes are actual, but wear off during the winter - the males in the Oman photos are in February.

Brian S

 

[ggregory71]

WP List per BWP

A question that needs to be asked:
Is Eastern Pied/Variable Wheatear on the WP list as defined by BWP?
If not, then this would be a real rarity.
Does anyone know?

 

[CAU]

Variable Wheatear is not on the list of birds of Kuwait on Alsirhan's website, which I suspect is pretty up to date:
http://www.alsirhan.com/Birds/index.htm
It is also not on the AERC TAC list of the bird taxa of the WP (IIRC, the list is from 2003):
http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of _the_WP15.pdf

So, if the bird indeed is a Variable Wheatear, it would probably be the first for the WP (but the species occurs regularly pretty close to the WP).

I'm a bit concerned how a dark-throated adult female Finsch's Wheatear can be ruled out? The scapulars are a bit darker than the back, which gives it kind of a Finsch's Wheatear-look, but I don't know whether the feathers on the back on a FW can have such clear pale tips. There are not many pictures of Finsch's Wheatears on the net, but this bird is at least superficially similar (but perhaps it's a 1cy bird, as it has brownish primaries):
http://www.netfugl.dk/pictures.php?id=showpicture&picture_id=25054

 

[lou salomon]

i was thinking fresh male finsch's, although i'm not familiar with this plumage. but if the strong white fringes wear off and the tipsof mantle and crown get white it looks like a perfect male fischii. not sure though.

 

[Brian J Small]

i was thinking fresh male finsch's, although i'm not familiar with this plumage. but if the strong white fringes wear off and the tipsof mantle and crown get white it looks like a perfect male fischii. not sure though.

Lou

I am having some doubts about this being Variable, as I can't quite reconcile the hint of a pale supercilium. Mind you, I can't reconcile it with Pied or Finsch's either.

Brian S

 

[Brian J Small]

Here's a link to a winter Finsch's from Israel - http://www.pbase.com/image/108020771

Looks similar, but with wider super developing.....?

Brian S

 

[RASHED]

hi

i have some photo for Finsch's

1-dark-throated adult female Finsch's Wheatear in 4-2-2009

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/3253349369_fe90ba2367.jpg

2-dark-throated adult female Finsch's Wheatear in 3-1-2009

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1169/3164514620_0f8c037fa0.jpg

3-female Finsch's Wheatear in 8-2-2009

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3531/3264864452_6e693878c5.jpg

4-female Finsch's Wheatear 26-2-2009

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3654/3311639355_d71cebf9c1.jpg