isaac_chan

406 Yellow-breasted Bunting 黃胸鵐
Po Toi 蒲台
2008/11/11
D2x + AF-S VR 300mm + 2x

wgeoff

I think this is a female Chestnut Bunting Isaac.

Yellow-breasted Bunting is a larger, heavier looking bird with a larger head and bill. You can also see the chestnut upper tail coverts of a Chestnut Bunting in the first photo.

isaac_chan

Add one more image of the bird.


Isn't the dark strips on its back is one of the feature of Yellow-breasted Bunting? BTW, I have little experience on buntings...

wgeoff

Striped upper back is a regular feature of many buntings including Chestnut - see this photo of a female Chestnut Bunting from www.orientalbirdimages.org



You can compare images of Chestnut and Yellow-breasted Bunting from this website.
The chestnut rump is a key feature but the size and shape of this bird indicate Chestnut to me rather than Yellow-breasted.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 30/12/2008 07:36 ]

gary

Yes, both show striped upper back.
But one of the feathers to separate this pair is the malar stripes.
Chestnut Bunting shows a more prominent malar stripes than Yellow-breasted.
As such, I'd bet for Yellow-breasted Bunting for this one.

ajohn

I also think this is Yellow-breasted Bunting. Compared to Chestnut Bunting, there seems not to be enough chestnut in the uppertail, the head pattern seems wrong (poorly-marked malr, as Gary noted, but well-marked surround to ear coverts and sides of crown), and the breast seems a rather clean yellow (female Chestnut usually shows traces of the males breast pattern). Also, the median/lesser coverts show clear white fringes (again, a reflection of the male plumage) and the primary projection is very short (barely extending beyond the tertials - compare to the Chestnut posted by Geoff). Structurally I think this bird has the chunky, 'bull-necked' appearance typical of Yellow-breasted.

isaac_chan

Thanks Geoff, Gary and John....