bin_go

From Mai Po 浮橋觀鳥屋: 2009-3-15

HFCheung

Why not Eurasian Curlew?

HF Cheung

bin_go

Because of "barred wing lining" under wings, compared to another one I took for 白腰杓鷸. Hope I got it right.

HFCheung

The wing shape is seldom used to separate Eurasian to Eastern Curlew.  The white undertail covert and white underwing covert are excellent features for Eurasian.  This is definitely not Eastern Curlew.

HF Cheung

bin_go

但第一張與第二張比，翼下真有很多橫紋喎！

ltsunpun

請看看這杓鷸的腰是白色的，所以是白腰杓鷸。紅腰杓鷸的腰不是白色。當鳥在飛行中，基本上是靠這一部份來分別。
靜立時，白腰杓鷸的上體輿下體顏色不一樣，牠下體比較白，而紅腰杓鷸的下體與上體的顏色大致相同。希望可以澄清你的問題。
請参考HKBWS的涉禽圖片可以看出以上的比較。

ajohn

I agree with bin_go that this appears to be an Eastern Curlew. Eurasian should normally show a pure white, unmarked underwing, as shown in the second photo.
It is unusual, however, for the underwing to be so pale on an Eastern Curlew, and for the rear of the underparts to be so pale.
Are there any more photos showing the upperparts of the bird to confirm whether the rump was white or dark? Looking closely at the photo, it looks like the feathers of the rump are barred (which would support the ID as Eastern).

HFCheung

Sorry that I have not looked at the barred underwing carefully.  I have checked the Japanese booklet on Wader ID.  The subspecies arquata has barred underwing.  This must be rare in HK.  I do not have HK Avifauna at hand, so please check that.

HF Cheung

I have now read more on this.  The usual subspecies in east Asia is orientalis.  Subspecies arquata is very rare, possibly the first in HK.  So please submit this record to the HKBWS record committee.

HF Cheung

[ Last edited by HFCheung at 28/03/2009 14:47 ]

ltsunpun

以前師兄教落，白腰是最好的ID來辨別白腰杓鷸。從第一張相片看到，紅腰杓鷸的亞種也有白腰，那麽以後分別飛行中的白腰或紅腰杓鷸便要加多翼下覆羽的橫紋來作最後決定，由於距離遠，翼下覆羽的橫紋不容易看得清楚，將會增加準確辨認的難度。由於白腰杓鷸和紅腰杓鷸的亞種同有白腰，那麽Eurasian curlew 和 Far eastern curlew 的中文名是否需要修改呢?

ajohn

I decided to take a new look at this photo after watching Far Eastern Curlew at Mai Po this spring. I agree with Ho-fai that the overall colour of the bird fits better for Eurasian rather than Far Eastern.
The barred underwing does not fit with typical orientalis Eurasian, which is the subspecies found in HK. I don't know about the variation in orientalis, but as Ho-fai suggests this may be from the western subspecies arquata. This would be the first HK record of this subspecies, which breeds west of the Urals and winters in Africa, and is therefore a surprising vagrant. As Ho-fai suggests, I recommend that you submit the record to the records committee for assessment.