Wren-Babbler for ID - Singalila NP, Nepal, Oct 2021 (1 Viewer)

[sbiswas.geo]

Need ID on this Wren-Babbler. Choice is between Scaly-breasted and Pygmy.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Spotting on back and neck, rather than crown, IMHO makes this Pygmy?

 

[sbiswas.geo]

Spotting on back and neck, rather than crown, IMHO makes this Pygmy?

I was guessing so, but some birders in India have said Scaly-breasted, apparently because of its immature plumage.

 

[Andy Adcock]

I was guessing so, but some birders in India have said Scaly-breasted, apparently because of its immature plumage.

I too thought it was a juvenile, some of the scaling appears to be turning white but there's no spotting on the crown.

 

[andyb39]

Pygmy looks better to me because of the lack of spotting on the head and nape and the large, coarse, yellow-edged scales on the sides of the breast. I'm not completely sure because the warm brown tone on the wing is perhaps better for Scaly-breasted. I think it is an immature bird - the base to the lower mandible is yellow, there's a suggestion of a juvenile gapeline and as Andy mentioned, there are white spots on the scapulars.

Sandeep, could you post your fulvous morph bird here too?

 

[sbiswas.geo]

Pygmy looks better to me because of the lack of spotting on the head and nape and the large, coarse, yellow-edged scales on the sides of the breast. I'm not completely sure because the warm brown tone on the wing is perhaps better for Scaly-breasted. I think it is an immature bird - the base to the lower mandible is yellow, there's a suggestion of a juvenile tapeline and as Andy mentioned, there are white spots on the scapulars.

Sandeep, could you post your fulvous morph bird here too?

Yes, I can. You mean in this thread itself, or as a separate post?

 

[andyb39]

Yes, I can. You mean in this thread itself, or as a separate post?

Not sure - maybe a new thread?

 

[sbiswas.geo]

Not sure - maybe a new thread?

Ok, done.

Wren-babbler from Singalila (fulvous morph)