I am new to this forum and would love to tap into your experience to help me identify some birds spotted on my recent trip to the stunning area around Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri La and Napahai Lake in Yunnan, China. The birdlife here blew me away to be honest. So much diversity and beauty. Any help that anyone can give to help a novice like me would be really greatly appreciated.
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Several unknown birds in Yunnan Province, China January 2022 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter earpy1
- Start date
1-2. Brown-breasted Bulbul.
3. Alpine Accentor.
4. Blue-fronted Redstart female (black terminal band on tail).
5. Chinese White-browed Rosefinch (female)?
6-7. Blue-fronted Redstart male.
8. Not sure - can you find another image?
9. Another female Blue-fronted Redstart judging by the tail pattern.
10. Manipur Fulvetta, or similar.
11. Gadwall.
12. Looks like a Great Egret - bill is too long and spiky for Intermediate, gapeline looks long.
Is no.15 the same bird as not 13-14?
3. Alpine Accentor.
4. Blue-fronted Redstart female (black terminal band on tail).
5. Chinese White-browed Rosefinch (female)?
6-7. Blue-fronted Redstart male.
8. Not sure - can you find another image?
9. Another female Blue-fronted Redstart judging by the tail pattern.
10. Manipur Fulvetta, or similar.
11. Gadwall.
12. Looks like a Great Egret - bill is too long and spiky for Intermediate, gapeline looks long.
Is no.15 the same bird as not 13-14?
Last edited:
Thanks so much for your help with this!
3. It was the size of plumped up sparrow which is why I wasn't sure it was the Accentor. I will post a different bird seen in the same location - they were very different in size and I put the 2nd one down as the Alpine Accentor - like a thrush size. so are they the same?
Sadly picture 8 is the only blurry image I got - it has 2 birds in the same photo but neither are clear unfortunately.
I think 13-15 are the same bird - same location but it kept disappearing over mountain ridges so wasn't 100% certain if it was the same!
Attachments
Yes, both photos show Alpine Accentor.
I hadn't noticed the bird above in no.8! It's a Black-chinned Yuhina. This is not to say that the one below is too, although it could be. I'm a bit puzzled by the greenish cast of the upper parts.
It certainly is!
Fantastic on both fronts! So I've now seen so many species I've never even heard of! So exciting! thank you!
Great! Such a shame I couldn't get the camera on it. It was still in it's suitcase as hadn't realised would have any birding opportunities before had the chance to unpack it!
Once have sorted through the thousands of images my husband and I took on our brief trip will post them all to double check IDs for them all. Highlights for me were the Cinereous Vulture and the common merganser. Both new birds to me - until you just identifies all these ones that is! Thanks again!
Bring 'em on!
I think I can confirm no.10 is Manipur AKA Streak-throated Fulvetta. I think no.5 is Chinese White-browed - you can just about make out some yellow-brown tones on the side of the rump. A very long white supercilium and lacks the buff-brown wash on the breast of Himalayan White-browed, which would in any case be out of range here.
I'm going for Golden Eagle for the raptor.
I think I can confirm no.10 is Manipur AKA Streak-throated Fulvetta. I think no.5 is Chinese White-browed - you can just about make out some yellow-brown tones on the side of the rump. A very long white supercilium and lacks the buff-brown wash on the breast of Himalayan White-browed, which would in any case be out of range here.
I'm going for Golden Eagle for the raptor.
With the eagle, I had a feeling it was the Golden Eagle but our guide thought maybe the Steppe Eagle. And with the Fulvetta, another new species for me! Very grateful for your help with the descriptions too - helps with future birding trips too!
Sangahyando
Well-known member
Steppe Eagle has a shorter tail, among other things.
And no golden collar
So, there is one other bird I am properly struggling with... again awful images due to being taken on phone - camera had a proper wobble in the cold at altitude! 🥶. Only saw it for a few seconds so these pics are the best I could get unfortunately.
Attachments
Collared Grosbeak.
I would love to have the knowledge you do! Thank you so much! Just out of curiosity, is there a good Asian / Chinese bird book I can buy? I have the Helm Field Guide Birds of East Asia but this Grosbeak isn't even in it - no wonder I am struggling!! 🤪. Or would you suggest online resources such as this are better?
China is difficult as it's a huge country covering a variety of different biomes. There is a new, just-published version of the Guide to the Birds of China (MacKinnon and Phillipps) which covers the whole country. I can't give you any feedback as my copy hasn't reached me yet. Otherwise you're looking at a combination of Grimmett and Inskipp (Birds of India, etc.) for Himalayan species, Robson (A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia) for species occurring over the border in Myanmar, Vietnam, etc.) and Brazil (Birds of East Asia) for species occurring in eastern provinces. Even then a number of species would slip through the net.
I think this is out of date - it was published by OUP on 21 January. My copy was dispatched on the 17th but I haven't received it yet here in Bulgaria. I'm eagerly awaiting it but it's been quite a while and I'm starting to get a little concerned.
