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Subject: White-throated Needletail [Print This Page]

Author: wleepoin Time: 15/04/2012 22:00 Subject: White-throated Needletail

not too sure about the Silver-backed Needletail ID, pls correct us if we are wrong. Thx!

HKBWS Boat-trip
15th April, 2012

A perfect ending of a nice day out.

Cheers
PWMK

[ Last edited by wleepoin at 15/04/2012 22:12 ]

Author: brendank Time: 15/04/2012 22:24

At the time I genuinely believed there was one Silver-backed Needletail yet now that I look at my photos I start to doubt that. The photos I had of the purported Silver-backed Needletail weren't so clear. I agree the amount of white on the one bird appears restricted but looking through the photos on orientalbird club of Silver-backed the throats all seem more grey than this bird. I'm not sure how much white Silver-backed can show on the throat and I suppose there is some variability. Maybe this is within the range of variability?

Author: wleepoin Time: 15/04/2012 22:38

Hi Brendank,
We too had some doubt about our photo of the S-B-Needletail, until we saw a image by Peter Ericsson taken in Thailand:
http://www.pbase.com/image/122743499. It does look similar to our bird, see what you think.

Cheers
PWMK

Author: John Holmes Time: 16/04/2012 08:27 Subject: Needletail ID

Here's one of ours from yesterday....

We didn't get any shots of the Needletails with less white on the throat, though. Nice shots P & M, I think yours are within the "range of variability"* for Silver-backed.

( * Based on my post-trip perusal of "A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World" by Phil Chantler and Gerald Driessens ! )

[ Last edited by John Holmes at 16/04/2012 14:48 ]

Image Attachment: 120415_12.JPG (16/04/2012 08:27, 23.8 KB) / Download count 525
http://hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=11285

Author: brendank Time: 16/04/2012 10:25

It seems in the pbase photo the throat is still quite grey whereas in the photo above it still looks quite white to me. This is the photo I got of the purported Silver-backed Needletail.

Below is a photo of a White-throated Needletail from the birds of Korea website which seems to have a less extensively white throat. I would say our bird matches that reasonably well.

Image Attachment: needletail.JPG (16/04/2012 10:25, 54.91 KB) / Download count 617
http://hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=11286

Author: lpaul Time: 16/04/2012 14:26

My understanding and experience is that White-throated always shows a well defined pure white throat which is rather broad at the base. I think the 'pale' throated bird is clearly Silver-backed.

I certainly do not think the Birds of Korea photos are evidence for the pale throated bird being White-throated as a) they are not especially sharp photos and b) the bird looks more like Silver-backed to me especially given the apparent lack of pale lores...

Author: vivian Time: 16/04/2012 20:48

Dear all
I have a poor image, The top one is White-throated Needletail.
But the below is Silver-backed Needletail?
or they are same?

thanks

Author: lpaul Time: 17/04/2012 09:11

Brendan,

Can you post a link to the Birds of Korea website for the photos you posted above as I cannot find them. Cheers.

Author: brendank Time: 17/04/2012 11:04

On this page if you scroll down a bit.

http://www.birdskorea.org/Birds/ ... dnews-2010-10.shtml

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