Muscicapa flycatcher, Kuwait (1 Viewer)

[CAU]

Alsirhan has posted some images of a Muscicapa flycatcher on his blog:
http://www.alsirhan.com/Blog/
(scroll down a bit)

It has been identified as an Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica, but I have some problems regarding the identification, as at least based on the Svensson guide many of the features point towards Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica:

-P2 seems to be as long as P4 (it should be as long as P5 or fall between P5 and P6 on an ABF)
-there's no emargination on P5 (this doesn't fit ABF, but fits DSF)
-the edges of the bill look concave when seen from below (should be convex on AFB)
-the edges of the bill are black when seen from below (the pale area should reach the edges on an AFB)
-the undertail coverts look almost completely black (should be white on AFB)
-the only feature that points towards ABF is the length of the outermost primary (it looks longer than the primary coverts)

Does anyone have any opinions on this? Are the features mentioned in Svensson still relevant?

 

[hannu]

Can we rule out even Spotted Flycatcher, which e.g. outermost primary is longer than the primary coverts? Also bird has e.g. at least 6 primary tips beyond 6th secondary (or the longest tertial), which rules out ABF. I think that the size of bill rules out both ABF and DsF! Spotted can have rather pale belly too: http://www.tarsiger.com/images/pirpa/Musstr060522Lagsi1.jpg

 

[CAU]

Can we rule out even Spotted Flycatcher, which e.g. outermost primary is longer than the primary coverts?

I'm not sure, I was also thinking of that. I reasoned that Spotted Flycatchers don't have black undertail coverts, but actually I'm not completely sure. Do they? Also at least in these images they have an emargination near the tip of P5 (but is there variation?):
http://www.tarsiger.com/gallery/index.php?pic_id=SL1125931071&lang=eng
http://www.ibercajalav.net/img/384_SpottedFlycatcherMstriata.pdf
Unfortunately there's no picture of the wing of a Spotted Flycatcher in my copy of Svensson.

The head pattern of the bird is not visible, and it's probably affected by leucism.

I think that the size of bill rules out both ABF and DsF!

Do you mean that it is too narrow?

Spotted can have rather pale belly too: http://www.tarsiger.com/images/pirpa/Musstr060522Lagsi1.jpg

Yes, and also the breast may also be affected by the leucism.

Anyway, the bird in question is a worn adult, and as ABF is a summer moulter, they should be fresh at this time of the year. Both Spotted and Dark-sided Flycatcher are winter moulters. At least Spotted Flycathcers may moult some coverts after the breeding (some of the greater coverts look fresher).

 

[alsirhan]

Thanks CAU for strting this thread.

Hi Hannu,

You are doing very well clarifying the identity of that bird. I will post my opinion shortly after checking my measurements and will post them here.

Alsirhan

 

[CAU]

Thanks CAU for strting this thread.

You're welcome! You have some really nice images on your site, and some really saddening (those of the shot birds)!

 

[JANJ]

Difficult to sort out due to it´s conditions so to speak. Wingformula seems to fit sibirica better as CAU mention. If I don´t remember wrong wingformula of spotted is quite similar to dauurica. The wellstreaked crown suggest Spotted.

JanJ

 

[alsirhan]

A Spotted Flycatcher

It is actually a Spotted Flycatcher!!! after all a luesistic bird having got all colours wrong???

When I saw the bird I paid more attention the broad-based bill from below with pale base, I haven't seen that of Spotted to compare with, also colour of upperparts, wing formula was similar to Asian Brown Flycatcher although some measurements were out of range specially tail and wing length, and primaries, I attributed this to my incompetent measurement and the fact that this bird may be a different subspecies on of unknown origin.
After Hannu suggested that it might be a Spotted I compared my measurements to Spotted Flycatcher to my surprise they were all within range and fit very well with the Spotted Flycatcher, wing and tail most important fit very well.

Here is my measurements:
Total length: bill to tail tip 15.5cm (neck loose probably broken)
Emargination on P3= 19mm from feather tip. (ascending)
P4= 16mm from feather tip.
Longest primary P3 and P4 although tips were worn specially these two longest primaries.
Wing length 86mm.
P1 56mm from wing-tip. 4.3mm longer than primary coverts.
P2 from wing tip 3mm
P5 5mm
P6 11.5mm
P7 17.5mm
P8 18mm
P9 24.5mm
P10 25.5mm
Distance between P1 & P2 46mm
Tarsus 16mm
Tail 60mm
Below are measurements of Spotted Flycatcher from BWPi:
Wing rather long and pointed. 10 primaries: p8 longest; p7 occasionally as long as p8, but usually 0–1•5 shorter; p6 4–6 shorter, p5 10•5–13, p4 14•5–18, p3 18–24•5, p2 20–27, p1 22–31, p9 4–6. P10 reduced, 41–53 shorter than wing-tip, 1•5 shorter to 4 longer than longest upper primary covert. Tip of p9 falls between p5 and p7, usually between p6 and p7. Outer web of p6–p8 and inner of p5–p9 emarginated.
Tail 58-65mm, wing length 83-89mm.

Thanks Cau, Hannu and JanJ for your comments. I will include these comments in my web log.

Alsirhan

 

[hannu]

I'm not sure, I was also thinking of that. I reasoned that Spotted Flycatchers don't have [1] black undertail coverts, but actually I'm not completely sure. Do they? [2]Also at least in these images they have an emargination near the tip of P5 (but is there variation?):
http://www.tarsiger.com/gallery/index.php?pic_id=SL1125931071&lang=eng
http://www.ibercajalav.net/img/384_SpottedFlycatcherMstriata.pdf
Unfortunately there's no picture of the wing of a Spotted Flycatcher in my copy of Svensson.
[3]
The head pattern of the bird is not visible, and it's probably affected by leucism.
[4]
Do you mean that it is too narrow?
[5]
Yes, and also the breast may also be affected by the leucism.
[6]
Anyway, the bird in question is a worn adult, and as ABF is a summer moulter, they should be fresh at this time of the year. Both Spotted and Dark-sided Flycatcher are winter moulters. At least Spotted Flycathcers may moult some coverts after the breeding (some of the greater coverts look fresher).

[1] I think that the bird is dissappeared the most of whitish undertail coverts..
[2] I think that there is a variation on this feature or it's not always so conspicuous...
[3] & [5] Perhaps partial leucism is the best option (especially head pattern refers to that direction) , but Svensson tells us also Mus str ssp neumanni (Asia minor, Levant, Caucasus, C. Siberia), which is sligthly paler than nominate, both above and below.
[4] Bill looks rather heavy (long > Svensson; Bill (Skull) 14,8-17,8mm and width of bill at distal edge of nostrils looks wide > Svensson gives 4,2-5,4 mm)
[6] Yep, it's also one thing, which rules out ABF.

Alsirhan, sounds great, that the species cleared up! :t:

 

[CAU]

some of the greater coverts look fresher

I noted that one tertial is also fresher. In conclusion, the moult pattern supports only Spotted Flycatcher (based on the Svensson guide).

[1] I think that the bird is dissappeared the most of whitish undertail coverts...
[2] I think that there is a variation on this feature or it's not always so conspicuous...

I agree with these two conclusions. Most of the undertail coverts are missing, which makes the longest undertail coverts stand out more than usual. The emarginations don't fit the BWPi data for Spotted Flycatcher, but that's probably due to variation.

[4] Bill looks rather heavy (long > Svensson; Bill (Skull) 14,8-17,8mm and width of bill at distal edge of nostrils looks wide > Svensson gives 4,2-5,4 mm)

The other two species have also very wide (if not proportionally wider) bills, but especially DSF has a very short bill. In conclusion, it is very logical and natural to id the bird as a Spotted Flycatcher.

Thanks for your comments!