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Pretentious question about "Grey" birds. (1 Viewer)

More great suggestion. The Antbird looks like a possibility, although apparently quite common. The Peacock-Pheasant is just too nice :) Gray-green Grasswren breaks my self-imposed "not Grey-xxx" rule. Grey Catbird is way too common. If it was rare or remote it would definitely qualify. Gray Thrasher. Hmm. I like the sound of it, but it actually looks like a rather attractive bird. I've actually seen Grey Hawk and it was probably self-found but it was 21 years ago and I've forgotten :(
 
The Antbird looks like a possibility, although apparently quite common.
According to Thibaud, who has supplied the only picture in the Gallery so far, it is easily located on voice, "but it can be hard to actually see as it prefers to stay within vine tangles". Gray antbird

So I thought it worth adding for your consideration. ;)
 
To recap the "rules":

1. It has to be a bird :)
2, It has to be unremarkable in appearance.
3. It has to be reasonably difficult to find.
4. It has to be a Grey/Gray Something (e.g. Grey Gull) and not a Grey-something Something (e.g. Gray-green Grasswren).

So far, Grey Bunting, Grey Thornbill, Gray Antbird and Grey Vireo seem like the best candidates. Japan is so far down our list of places that we want to visit that the bunting is probably ruled out for us (although I am not claiming ownership of the list and anyone else can start their own). I visualise a massive pub debate started by someone shouting "What's your most difficult "grey" bird?".

I feel that I've seen most of the Grey Shrike variations but they fail under rules 2., 3. and 4. Grey Plover is out for the same reason (2. is subjective but Grey Plovers are delightful). Similarly Kestrels and Phalaropes. I'd struggle to describe any birds in those families as mundane.
 
Grey Tit has made it onto the list after previous discussion :) The whole list is (in chronological order), Grey Tit, Grey Honeyeater, Gray Wren.

Whilst Grey Plover is a poor name for a lovely bird, Black-bellied Plover seems worse. If we're looking for an accurate description, then it should be "Occasionally Black-bellied Plover, as Long as we're Agreed that a Plover's Belly Extends as far as its Eye" which might be too much. Perhaps "Black-axilliaried Plover" to use a consistent ID factor.
 
Hooded Crow is called Grey Crow here in Ireland. It is common round here but possibly too good-looking to make this list
 
What about Grey Friarbird? Highly range restricted and a bit off the beaten path in Indonesia.

Grey Sibia might be a bit too elegant for your purposes, but it's also one that's a bit out of the way of usual routes.
 
Grey Tit has made it onto the list after previous discussion :) The whole list is (in chronological order), Grey Tit, Grey Honeyeater, Gray Wren.

Whilst Grey Plover is a poor name for a lovely bird, Black-bellied Plover seems worse. If we're looking for an accurate description, then it should be "Occasionally Black-bellied Plover, as Long as we're Agreed that a Plover's Belly Extends as far as its Eye" which might be too much. Perhaps "Black-axilliaried Plover" to use a consistent ID factor.
Far as Grey Plovers go, I'd be happy with "Sparkling Mudstomper" in summer, but they do rather let the side down away from that!
 
Grey-bellied Comet
Grey-striped Spurfowl
Grey-throated Rail
Grey-backed Storm Petrel
would all be a good reason to go to a fun place to bird.
 
I'm afraid that all of temmie's birds fail under rule 4, although all of them sound great. I had to look Grey-bellied Comet up and it really can't pass rule 2, either. Grey Crow fails under rules 2 & 3. Having seen a few Friarbirds, I had high hopes for Grey Friarbird and it didn't let me down. It's on the list. I expected Grey Sibia to fail under rule 2 (I've seen a couple of Sibias) and I was right.

I'm going to try to remember to call Grey Plovers "Sparkling Mudstompers" from now on. I like them in non-breeding plumage as well but they definitely fall foul of rule 3. We don't see many in Shropshire but I don't need to go far.
 
I'm going to try to remember to call Grey Plovers "Sparkling Mudstompers" from now on. I like them in non-breeding plumage as well but they definitely fall foul of rule 3. We don't see many in Shropshire but I don't need to go far.
To be fair, my first ever sighting of them was watching a couple of thousand or so wheeling around over mud flats at Two Tree Island in Essex many moons ago in winter! Nothing beats a summer male, but I wouldn't change that first impression! As a spectacle it was just as good as a sparkling mudstomper :)
 

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