Swinhoe's vs Indian White-eye (SW China) (1 Viewer)

[redpandacat]

Can anybody tell me if it's possible to distinguish Swinhoe's White-eye (Zosterops simplex) from Indian White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosus)? I am in south-west of China and it seems the ranges could overlap.

 

[andyb39]

I have the same question about birds in NW Vietnam, e.g. Sapa, which is close to the Chinese (Yunnan) border. Where exactly are you seeing these birds?

 

[redpandacat]

I have the same question about birds in NW Vietnam, e.g. Sapa, which is close to the Chinese (Yunnan) border. Where exactly are you seeing these birds?

Guizhou. Comfortably within the range for Swinhoe's but possibly in the range for Indian. Definite overlap of the species in NW Vietnam it seems.

I think the most recent analysis suggests only Swinhoe's can be found in Guizhou but I'm not sure how definite that range is because both Indian an Swinhoe's were found in neighbouring Yunnan and it's not clear if samples were taken from the bordering provinces (Guizhou, Guangxi, Sichuan, Tibet). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10336-018-1583-7

 

[Larry Sweetland]

But how can they be identified? What features should we look for?

 

[redpandacat]

But how can they be identified? What features should we look for?

Indeed, that's the big question.

I have some correspondence from someone who studies these species. I will paraphrase and quote:

[ID via song is not easy as the current public records are not sufficient and Swinhoe's doesn't appear to sing very often.

"Swinhoe’s is the drabber, more olive one, whereas Indian is much more lively yellow-olive. That is obvious in the field such as northern Indochina and Southern Yunnan, where both overlap."

The overlap is very likely only in winter when Swinhoe's moves south. Breeding ranges do not overlap anywhere.]

I also note from MacKinnon & Phillipps that Indian WE has a ventral yellow band whereas Swinhoe's does not - however, from looking at photos it is sometimes very faint or nearly absent. So I'm not sure whether absence of the band is a distinguishing feature, maybe only presence of the band - just my thoughts.