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Subject: Phylloscopus ID. From Emeishan [Print This Page]

Author: kkoel Time: 31/08/2008 23:06 Subject: Phylloscopus ID. From Emeishan

12/8/08, Emeishan (3000m)

This phylloscopus warbler was in a mixed flock of Greenish and Buff-barred Warblers common on the Emeishan summit. However it had a trisyllabic / pentasyllabic loud whistle which sounded different to the disyllabic chirp of Greenish Warblers. In the second pic you can see an interesting hooked tip to the bill, which nevertheless isn't very dark as would be expected for Large-billed.

Please let me know if you have an idea of whether this is a Greenish, Large-billed or other phylloscopus warbler. Many thanks!!

[ Last edited by kkoel at 31/08/2008 23:19 ]

Image Attachment: large-billed leaf warbler.jpg (31/08/2008 23:18, 172.71 KB) / Download count 551
http://hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=2067

Image Attachment: large-billed leaf warblermag.jpg (31/08/2008 23:18, 164 KB) / Download count 472
http://hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=2068

Author: cgeoff Time: 1/09/2008 15:26

Greenish.

3000m is too high for Large-billed Leaf.

Geoff

Author: kkoel Time: 1/09/2008 22:53

Thanks for your comment Geoff! However I remain confused as I read that Large-billed breeds from 2000-4000m, so altitude alone may not be diagnostic. I'm rather poorly experienced in phylloscopus so I'd like to ask if you could advance on the peculiar morphological/vocal features of the bird? Many thanks again.

Author: HFCheung Time: 1/09/2008 23:32

The bird does remind me of large-billed. During my last visit (May 2006) there seems to be plenty of Large-billed just below the submit. I am sure large-billed has hooked bill, and dark legs (check the "Wild bird of China" photo gallery. The thin wing-bar also fits large-billed quite well. Body size and primary projection are not shown well in your photo. The call is probably the best. Large-billed has a five-note whistle song "B, B-B, B-B", and a two-note alarm call "durr dee". Greenish has a long complex song, and a two-note call "Chu-rit". Blyth's Leaf (not sure about the split) also has complex song and a three-note call "Too-mee-jiu". If you cannot remember the call well, this will not help you.

HF Cheung

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