ctakming

5.10.2008 Long Valley
Is it impossible to tell the species of snipe just by the upperparts?


23.11.2008 Lai Chi Kok
The followings are the same bird:



Is it an Oriental Reed Warbler or something else?

23.11.2008 Lai Chi Kok


Is it a male Common Kestrel and not a Lesser Kestrel?

Thankyou very much.

kkoel

For the snipe I would say Pintail/Swinhoe's: these have paler shoulders and thinner eyestripe at the lores on average. The warbler looks good for Oriental Reed Warbler; the Kestrel has a prominent moustache, and if the diamond shaped tail and yellow claws aren't seen well it's very hard to argue for a lesser kestrel in Hong Kong given its range ^^". But we're always in for surprises, aren't we?

ctakming

Hi Koel,
Thanks for your reply with detailed explaination.