Unidentified passerine (1 Viewer)

[peterginsburg]

Bird seen on 23 September at sea on cruise ship between Kushiro and Muroran, Japan. All photos are of same bird, numbers for reference only.

Peter

 

[MacNara]

I think this must be either Narcissus Flycatcher female or Blue-and-White Flycatcher female.

I think it's Narcissus - general appearance, plus olive-looking back, plus rufous in the tail. Also, the white splodge on the wing, clearly visible in 2 and 3, is something I have noted as a Narcissus female feature.

Narcissus breeds near me, but the females are very non-confiding and rarely seen, unlike the males which display. Blue-and white breeds nearby at higher elevations where I rarely go partly because the birds are sometimes heard, but not much seen in the dark forest in summer. So, I should in theory know the difference, but in practice it's not so easy.

 

[johnallcock]

I agree with female Narcissus Flycatcher. As well as the rufous tail that MacNara mentions, I think the contrasting wing (pale tips to greater and median coverts, rufous fringe to tertials) fit better for Narcissus, and the legs look a bit too strong and too pale grey for Blue-and-White.

 

[peterginsburg]

My thanks to both John and MacNara for their insightful comments.