kkchang168

Dear all,

Sorry to bother you again. Is this one Ziting Cisticola?

2013-03-05-32.jpg (29.61 KB)

24/03/2013 06:56

and the following is Bright-capped cisticola?

2013-03-19-03.jpg (40.33 KB)

24/03/2013 06:56

According to "The BIRDS of HONG KONG and SOUTH CHINA", it said that crown feathers of Bright-capped Cisticola often raised. Is the second photo show it?

Or they are other kind of birds?

Thanks in advance

ajohn

You are correct on both birds.
Note the prominent white supercilium and relatively deep bill base on the Zitting (photo 1).
This Bright-capped is relatively easy to identify because it is moulting into male breeding plumage - note how the central crown feathers are very pale yellow-white, which is what gives this species it's name.

Don't rely too much on whether the bird raises it's crown feathers because Zitting will also do this (although I agree Bright-capped does more often).

kkchang168

Thank you ajohn. I know that Zitting (wrong spelling last time) also raise its crown feather, so I cannot sure that the second one is a Bright-capped. Moreover thank you for telling me that Zitting has a "relatively deep bill base" which I do not see in my books.