Subject: Possible Japanese Tit at Airfield Road [Print This Page] Author: wgeoff Time: 16/01/2013 12:46 Subject: Possible Japanese Tit at Airfield Road
We have recently received a report, including photographs, of a possible Japanese Tit Parus minor at Shek Kong on 21 December 2012, sent to us from AFCD.
In our current thinking on the 'Eastern Great Tit' complex, the HK species is Parus cinereous commixtus or Cinereous Tit in English. Note this is different to the official IOC designation which places commixtus within the Parus minor species, which we believe is incorrect.
So this would be a new addition to the HK List if accepted. Although this will have to go before the full Records Committee, the current view is that the photographs possibly do show a Japanese Tit.
The purpose of this note is to alert members to the possibility that the bird is either still in the Shek Kong Airfield Road area, or that there are others around (as you are aware, this has been an exceptional autumn/winter for northern arrivals). It is not an easy separation between Cinereous and Japanese Tit but depends on a combination of subtle differences which we are only just starting to come to understand ourselves. Currently, it is thought that Japanese Tit shows the following differences with Cinereous Tit
more obvious greenish upper mantle and nape
broader and whiter tips to the greater wing coverts (making a broad white wing bar)
smaller black bib
more extensive white on the outer tail feathers
of which the first may be the most obvious on first view (but note, some Cinereous do show a greenish tinge here also). It is possible we will have some photographs to show later. Brazil's 'Birds of East Asia' shows the two named as Eastern Great Tit (minor) and Southern Great Tit (cinereous commixtus) on pages 312 and 313 although we may not entirely agree with the descriptions given. These are difficult species to separate.
The bird was photographed on the floor of the nullah in Airfield Road, but may of course be elsewhere by now.
[ Last edited by wgeoff at 16/01/2013 13:00 ] Author: Jonathmartinez Time: 16/01/2013 13:23
very interesting.
But I initially thought that the one occuring in Guangdong was the nominate cinereus and that commixtus was north of Guangdong, in Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guangxi.
My own experience of what I think are commixtus from Hunan and Guangxi is that all this birds are showing some greenish on upper mantle and lower neck of different amount depending on different population, where all the Cinereous Tit I'm seeing in Guangdong show an entire grey blue mantle without any hint of green.
So could this bird not be a commixtus from one of this more colored form of commixtus
rather than minor?
During a recent trip in Leizhou peninsular with Richard Lewthwaite,
I notice that some bird there, for the few one we've check carrefully was showing a small amount of green on lower neck and upper mantle suggesting that the Guangdong form is intergrading with this commixtus. This ofcourse suggest that commixtus belong to cinereus rather than minor.
Jabouille on the paper he published after his staying in the Zhangjiang area allredy notice this intermediate form.
My opinion is that commixtus have to be taking into
consideration.
Many year ago in north east Hunan I remember having seen a bird that was much more colored than the other local one, a bit more yellowish rather than cream on the underparts and more bright green ans blue on the upperparts that to me was a Japanese Tit. I think the difference should be more obvious even I have no experience with Japanese Tit from breeding ground.
A very interesting subject but rather unclear in South China.
All the best,
Jonathan Author: brendank Time: 16/01/2013 17:41
Was there any sign of cage damage in the photos and is natural occurrence likely? Author: wgeoff Time: 16/01/2013 19:19
Cage damage - nothing really obvious. One feather is slightly out of place but appears natural.
Natural occurrence likely - no, but who knows, this has been an exceptional autumn/winter.
Can I emphasise, this is only a possible record. The id is quite difficult, as Jonathan has pointed out above. But you would all be upset if it eventually emerged as an accepted First Record and you were not told about it.
I hope we can put out some photos soon.
[ Last edited by wgeoff at 16/01/2013 19:38 ] Author: wgeoff Time: 17/01/2013 09:18
Here are two of the photos received
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