Maldives- Meemu Atoll X2 Bird ID help please- Heron and other. :) (1 Viewer)

[Josh1234]

Hello all-

I've only been birding for a year so I'm still getting to grips with UK birds and am struggling to find much literature on Maldivian birds.
Any help greatly appreciated ...

First bird- I think is a Striated Heron. Clear pictures attached so hopefully easy to confirm ID. Smaller than a little egret and showed a white, fan shaped tail in flight.

Second bird- I have no idea. Two were flying one in front of the other fairly low to the sea. Seemed all black and a bit larger than a crow. We were watching sharks in the water at the time so I didn't see for long and only got this poor record shot (just before sunset).

Again thanks for any help

 

[Josh1234]

Struggling to upload more than one pic so here is the second bird...

 

[Butty]

Welcome to BF.
The Grimmett et al. Indian field guide covers the Maldives.
1. Odd thing. Presumably an aberrant striated heron. Pass . Do upload your other photo(s) if you can.
2. The bill looks somewhat wrong but otherwise plausibly another short-legged heron - which would make it striated heron again, presumably looking black because of the light. Dunno.

 

[THE_FERN]

Suspect the second is unidentifiable. It doesn't feel like a heron to me but perhaps it is...

...Superficially it looks a bit like a Shearwater, but close inspection shows it can't be. I wondered about a skua; careful comparison of wing shape might help here

 

[Xenospiza]

The first bird is indeed an aberrant Striated Heron (interesting bird!); the second bird is a Striated Heron flying away.

 

[THE_FERN]

The first bird is indeed an aberrant Striated Heron (interesting bird!); the second bird is a Striated Heron flying away.

Always good to say why you think this...

 

[Xenospiza]

Always good to say why you think this...

Broad wings, straight long bill, overall shape... and very, very few possibilities on the Maldives.

 

[THE_FERN]

Broad wings, straight long bill, overall shape... and very, very few possibilities on the Maldives.

Thanks. Wing shape is unequivocal, bill shape more so, at least for me on this phone.

Avibase list for Maldives has everything I would expect: +/- all the skuas, a bunch of shearwaters, various herons and egrets

 

[Xenospiza]

It does not look like a skua or shearwater at all though. Check those wing tips! (maybe not on a phone).

 

[birdboybowley]

Striated Herons for me too....second pic has a long pointy bill for starters 😜

 

[Josh1234]

Thank you for your help everyone. I really appreciate the responses...I might have a few more for you soon!

I've done a bit more reading and you may all correct me but there seems to be such a thing as a Maldivian Little Heron which by all accounts is a sub species of the Striated Heron which would account for the aberrant look I suppose.

Regarding the second bird, this was one of two flying in series and I didn't get the impression they were herons but hey ho.
I'm gonna see if I can get a copy of that field guide on ebay. Thanks for the heads up on that also,

Since I can only seem to upload one picture at a time, here's another of the striated heron.

 

[Butty]

It seems that some/many striated herons on the Maldives (presumably the local resident race albolimbatus) do look pretty weird - and like yours.

Striated Heron - Butorides striata - Media Search - Macaulay Library and eBird

Explore millions of photos, audio recordings, and videos of birds and other animals; powered by Macaulay Library and eBird. The Macaulay Library collects, archives, and distributes wildlife media for research, education, and conservation.

search.macaulaylibrary.org

Who knew. So yours isn't aberrant.

 

[njlarsen]

I can buy Striated for the second image.
Niels

 

[Earnest lad]

There is a link to a download about Maldivian birds here, but it may only be of limited help

http://duniye-spa-draft2.squarespace.com/s/Maldivian-birds-and-beach-ecosystems.pdf

 

[Josh1234]

Thank you

 

[Josh1234]

Watched a pair of herons today and thankfully they interacted allowing some interesting comparisons. Thought those interested in this thread may enjoy seeing.

This is, I'm assuming a 'regular' striated heron and it's Maldivian counterpart.

 

[Butty]

The bird at left is immature, so it may also be the local race.