What can we say about this Oriental Magpie Robin - Bangkok earlier today (1 Viewer)

[Aladdin]

Dear Members and Bird Watchers!

Just back home from another training with my new camera in Rama IX Park and I have never seen so many magpies before, even more than the Mynas. Anyway, I walk along the tracks minding my own business and taking pictures.

I run the eBird app and I register the birds as I see them and the bird on the attached picture was registered as a female magpie on routine.

Back home to check my picture and I see the yellow gape. And I learned from birdforum member Butty that this means that it is a young bird.

And the bird is blue on the back, is it possible to sex this bird? And to say how old the bird is? For me it looks like the yellow gape is about to disappear.

I guess it will be a male because of the blue on the back.

And I think this must be the first broad as all the magpies were looking to flirt with each other today, so I guess they are going for a second broad.

Any thoughts about the magpie on the attached picture?

Kind Regards and happy birding
Aladdin

 

[dragnil]

I've no experience of the bird, but there's not a lot wrong with the new camera.

 

[01101001]

Surely, we can say it's a beautuful bird (and a great photo of it)! No idea otherwise.

 

[johnallcock]

It's a juvenile just starting moult into an adult plumage. Besides the yellow gape, features indicating a juvenile are: mottled head plumage, pale and mottled breast, buff tips to some greater coverts, brown fringes to primaries and poor condition of many body feathers.
There are a few fresh adult-type feathers in the upperparts. To me, these look like they are dark grey typical of adult female, rather than the glossy black of an adult male.

The fact that it's moulting suggests this bird fledged several weeks ago, and the parents are probably already working on another brood, as you suggest.

 

[Aladdin]

It's a juvenile just starting moult into an adult plumage. Besides the yellow gape, features indicating a juvenile are: mottled head plumage, pale and mottled breast, buff tips to some greater coverts, brown fringes to primaries and poor condition of many body feathers.
There are a few fresh adult-type feathers in the upperparts. To me, these look like they are dark grey typical of adult female, rather than the glossy black of an adult male.

The fact that it's moulting suggests this bird fledged several weeks ago, and the parents are probably already working on another brood, as you suggest.

Thank you very much johnallcock!

I was thinking male because of the bluish feathers, but as you say, it makes more sense to be a female with all the grey and the blue will disappear.

And the yellow gape looks to be about to disappear any day!

Thank you very much and it was interesting to get your take while looking at the bird. The birds are jumping around all the time so I just noticed it as a female before it was gone. But thanks to my picture I could study the bird more closely and again, there was something to learn about birds!

Appreciated!

Kind Regards
Aladdin