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Subject: Common Stonechat ( maura) [Print This Page]

Author: wleepoin Time: 5/10/2010 21:41 Subject: Common Stonechat ( maura)

Lok Ma Chau
5th October, 2010

Thanks Paul L for the call & John H & Ah Wai for the free rides.

PS-Same bird but under different lighting & background.

Cheers
PWMK

[ Last edited by wleepoin at 6/10/2010 08:04 ]

Author: John Holmes Time: 5/10/2010 22:00

Another angle of the same bird.

Image Attachment: sc1-2.jpg (5/10/2010 22:00, 113.32 KB) / Download count 358
http://hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=7195

Author: ypakwai Time: 5/10/2010 23:38

Thank you Paul, John and PWMK

Author: thinfor Time: 6/10/2010 15:44

Thanks all for the sharing of this great subspecies!

May I ask how to differentiate between this maura ss and the one we usually see in HK?

Any diagnostic features?

Author: ajohn Time: 6/10/2010 19:55

Earlier this year, IOC (and therefore HKBWS) adopted a split in Siberian Stonechat, separating the Eastern stejnegeri as a separate species (Stejneger's Stonechat) from the more westerly maurus (and other subspecies). The common form in Hong Kong is Stejneger's, thus this bird is a potential new species for Hong Kong!

Separation of the two is still slightly uncertain: Paul Leader is looking into how they are different. The most notable differences compared to typical Hong Kong birds are that this individual seems paler (above and below), with a stronger supercilium.

Author: John Holmes Time: 11/10/2010 18:23 Subject: Stonechat mysteries

A couple more shots of "maurus" ??? stonechat at LMC, with what I trust is "stejnegeri" for comparison (2010-Oct-06)

Image Attachment: maura_Oct_jjh2.jpg (11/10/2010 18:23, 55.13 KB) / Download count 352
http://hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=7242

Image Attachment: maura_Oct_jjh1.jpg (11/10/2010 18:23, 68.61 KB) / Download count 356
http://hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=7243

Image Attachment: stegnegeri_Oct_jjh1.jpg (11/10/2010 18:23, 64.18 KB) / Download count 342
http://hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=7244

Author: tmichael Time: 11/10/2010 19:44

Maybe just me but I can't see any obvious difference.

The original maurus photos did look a bit unusual (supercilium anyway) but John's putative stejnegeri - presumably just another random Stonechat that happened to be around nearby? - looks to have a very similar super and to be otherwise identical except maybe in the crown streaking.

Mike Turnbull

Author: tmichael Time: 11/10/2010 19:45

Also whiter alula, if that's what it is.

Mike Turnbull

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