This bird was on Po Toi today. It was like a large thrush with a black head, bluish white crown stripe, reddish brown body, blue tail with a dark tip.
I think it's a female Purple Cochoa.
Will it make the Hong Kong list?
[ Last edited by wgeoff at 18/08/2010 17:43 ] Author: yyattung Time: 11/10/2007 19:40
It looks like a Purple Cachoa to me.
Geoff: you get the jack-pot again! Author: kmatthew Time: 12/10/2007 01:14
Congratulation!! Yet another surprise from Po Toi!! Author: kmike Time: 12/10/2007 01:20
An incredible record Geoff - just astounding!
I completely blown away - never even crossed my mind as a potential HK bird!
As far as I am aware it it supposed to be a resident rather than a migrant, which would not help its acceptability, but ther emy be more recent information on its status.
To have any chance you will need pix that show no cage damage whatsoever, and even so I wouldn't bet the house on it. However th eromantic in me wishes that it could be accepted!
Cheers
Mike K Author: wgeoff Time: 12/10/2007 04:45
Thanks to all.
There are some excellent photos of this bird, much better than mine, by yltam (leung) who was also there to see it and from a slightly different position to me.
As they are not mine, I cannot post them but I hope to get them posted shortly.
Geoff Author: lpaul Time: 12/10/2007 08:59
Hate to spoil the party, but whilst this is clearly a Purple Cochoa, I am aware of no records away form the breeding areas; it is partial altitudinal migrant at best. This seems highly unlikely to be a natural vagrant.
The one picture available suggests some damage to the primaries. I look forward to seeing other pictures.
On the positive side, this is one of the best photos of Purple Cochoa I have seen. Author: lkatherine Time: 12/10/2007 09:09
How does this bird call/sing?
As I got a strange bird (of similar size) calling at Mai Po car park on Wednesday at dusk.
Katherine Author: wgeoff Time: 12/10/2007 12:26
On seeing some other photos, Paul Leader considers this bird shows sufficient feather damage for it not to be a wild bird.
It was, however, a superb bird and a great thrill to see. I hope to post the other photos later.
It did not call, Katherine. Author: ajohn Time: 12/10/2007 13:11
Regardless of whether the bird was wild, I must admit I am jealous of those who managed to see it. An absolutely amazing record!
You must have been really surprised/confused/excited when you found such an unusual bird in such an unexpected location! Author: wgeoff Time: 12/10/2007 14:19
All three emotions John - surprised, excited and confused.
We realised it wasn't in the Birds of Hong Kong, we thought it was probably a Chinese laughing thrush of some sort. I had never heard the word Cochoa until I got home yesterday.
I have now got Ah Leung's permission to show his photos - to give you some idea of how stunning and beautiful this bird really was.
[ Last edited by wgeoff at 18/08/2010 17:44 ] Author: kmatthew Time: 12/10/2007 14:54
Is the Purple Cochoa a popular cage bird in HK??And indeed these are the best photos I have seen for this bird!! Author: wcaptain Time: 12/10/2007 15:32
I have double checked with a HKU study about the bird trade in the Mongkok bird garden between 2004-2006.
Some odd birds like Collared Finchbill (one bird), Omei Shan Liocichla (50 birds) and bearded Parrotbills (258 birds) were recorded.
Purple Cochoa has never been recorded in the study.
Captain Author: sdavid Time: 12/10/2007 15:53
You're going to have to stop releasing all these birds out at Po Toi, Geoff!!!
Just kidding. It's certainly got people talking! To reiterate John's comments, I bet you had a massive double-take when you saw that! Author: ajohn Time: 12/10/2007 17:50
Stunning photos!
Further to Captain's comments, Bearded Reedling (=Bearded Parrotbill) is also now on Category E of the HK list on the basis of birds seen/trapped at Mai Po. (That was a thrill, walking to a net at Mai Po to find such a distinctive bird trapped!)
Unfortunately I think Purple Cochoa will have the same fate - Category E - but well done finding and identifying the bird Author: sgeoff Time: 12/10/2007 18:43
Just for interest and future reference, could someone point out the diagnostic features visible on the photos indicating cage damage. Author: pchunchiu Time: 12/10/2007 20:46
I am also very curious of how to assess the cage damage of the bird. I am just a beginner but I can also feel how exciting it is when you were seeing this fantastic bird! Author: wgeoff Time: 12/10/2007 23:26
Paul based his assessment on the three photos above plus two others given here, also from Ah Leung.
I leave it to him to comment, but I think you can see on my photo and the one above that one primary feather on the right wing appears to be missing and the outer primary on that wing is slightly frayed. Also the outer tail feathers appear frayed on one of the above photos. Small points but significant.
Perhaps a more telling point is that Purple Cochoa is not known to be a migrant species and therefore unlikely to be about 1000 kms from its nearest normal resident area. Also an adult female rather than a juvenile, which would be more likely to stray from its home territory, and a very colourful bird therefore a good target as a cage bird.
I can understand how all these points can add up to doubt about its origin.
[ Last edited by wgeoff at 18/08/2010 17:45 ] Author: lpaul Time: 13/10/2007 12:58
I have been slightly misquoted by Geoff as I did not say that the bird shows enough feather damage to not be considered a wild bird - I stated that I thought the damage was atypical of a wild bird, a subtle (and perhaps pedantic!) difference.
However, the atypical damage I refer to consists of:
Damage to a number of tail feathers with what appears to be a large chunk out of the left hand outer feather and extensive abrasion to the tip of one of the central pair.
Damage to the tips and outer webs of the outer primaries in the form of numerous small nicks
The feet also show a strange reddish area near the base of the tarus which may well be normal for Purple Cochoa but could be indicative of a cage bird infection such a bumblefoot.
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Yet another surprise from Po Toi!! 
