tmichael

Actual differences are quite clear from the photos - the last one is Pale Blue Flycatcher, photographed outside of Hong Kong I assume.

Mike Turnbull

tmichael

But are you going to tell us where it is?

This is actually a requirement for all pictures posted on this forum, especially those seeking an identification or confirmation of identity.



Mike Turnbull

tmichael

I'm not absolutely sure it is Pale Blue, but they do have a scaly vent according to several sources, so as a simple diagnostic that seemsto have been misrepresented by Viney et al in both text and illustration.

See:

http://orientalbirdimages.org/bi ... mily_ID=216&p=7

Actually it seems this species is very variable - I wonder if they all sound the same (resident and migratory forms) across its fairly wide range?

Could there be cryptic Pale Blue Flycatcher species?

Mike Turnbull

tmichael

While I've spent most of the day marking exam papers, tidying up my filing cabinet, and seeing Australia and much more importantly England through to Test match victories, MRL has clearly been very busy.

You've given us masses to follow up on, Mike! Thanks!

I still wonder if we might be permitted to know where this bird - present we are told on Friday and Saturday last week, at least - actually was, so that we might possibly see what it really looks like in the field.

Mike Turnbull

tmichael

Thanks from this Mike too.

I'm actually leaning towards this being a rather "blued up" Verditer myself now, mainly because of the line of scales forming a kind of moustachial, which does seem to be diagnostic.

I think the short bill in Verditer seems further exaggerated by their having extensive feathering across the base of the upper mandible, which seems most extensive in adult males and a lot less so in females and other ages,and to be subject to individual variation. This bird seems to have none at all, hence the bigger looking bill.

Attached, by way of a parting gift for all the pleasure the Forum has given me this year, a picture of a bird that is in the same genus as Verditer, Nilgiri Flycatcher Eumyias albicaudatus, photographed in the Western Ghats in Southern India (where else?) in February 2008.

Happy New Year 2010!

Mike Turnbull

[ Last edited by tmichael at 31/12/2009 23:21 ]