Subject: [Hong Kong] Is it a juvenile White-cheeked starling? [Print This Page] Author: vivian Time: 8/07/2013 19:39 Subject: Is it a juvenile White-cheeked starling?
是否灰椋鳥?
2013/07/06
MP
Author: ddavid Time: 8/07/2013 20:14
Yes, this juvenile White-cheeked Starling has been feeding near the AFCD office at Mai Po recently.
I wonder, however, if - based on the abraded tail and the slightly odd-looking bill - it is an ex-captive bird.
David Author: vivian Time: 8/07/2013 21:09
thank you very much Author: ajohn Time: 10/07/2013 08:50
Given the number of White-cheeked Starlings around, including juveniles that have presumably been raised somewhere nearby, I'm not sure I agree with the conclusion that this is ex-captive.
- Couldn't the damage to the tail be the result of being crammed into a nest with siblings? Similar tatty tails seem common among other starling juveniles, including White-shouldered and Black-collared.
- On these pictures the bill looks odd, but I think that's because it's muddy isn't it? Author: ddavid Time: 11/07/2013 01:09
Yes, there are a number of adult & juvenile White-cheeked Starlings around at Mai Po (as well as other starlings) and it seems clear that they breed somewhere nearby.
This particular individual, however, is I think a little problematic - for three reasons:
1) It is very approachable. I photographed it on July 3. Vivian - according to the website - photographed it on 6 July.
2) The bill - at least to my eye - is deformed/damaged at the tip. This is a feature of Vivian's photos and the photos I took on July 3. It is this that makes me sure that the bird I saw & photographed is the same as the one Vivian photographed.
3)The tail is clearly abraded, although I accept the point that this could be a result of being crammed into the nest with siblings etc.
I didn't conclude that this was an ex-captive bird - I just wondered if it was one because of the features I've mentioned above, and I'm grateful for the response.
It's of no great importance, of course, since White-cheeked Starling is a fairly common bird in HK. But if a rare bird turned up in HK and showed the above features, then - more likely than not - it would not be accepted as being a genuine vagrant. Hawfinch springs to mind as an obvious example.
David
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