wgeoff

There is an interesting female Narcissus-type Flycatcher on Po Toi at the moment.
Here are two photos




This bird shows considerable green colour to the crown, nape, mantle, scapulars and rump but the underside is only tinged yellow around the throat, breast and under-tail coverts, otherwise a buffish white colour. It seems it is therefore not a Green-backed Flycatcher.

According to the texts, some female Narcissus can show greenish tinge to the upperparts. The photos below are taken from the Birds Korea Id Guide to Narcissus-type Flycatchers. The one on the left is a claimed Narcissus and the one on the right a claimed Owston's.



This bird shows more similarity to the Owston's but the differences are slight.

Experts advice please.

PS I say this bird is on Po Toi now. I saw it on Monday and what was almost certainly the same bird was seen and photographed by Aaron and Brenda today (Thursday)

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 6/01/2010 15:40 ]

ajohn

To me, the back doesn't look quite as green as I would expect for Owston's, especially on the second photo. The first photo looks slightly greener but I'm not sure if that is partly the result of lighting. There is little contrast in colour between the mantle and wings, which is apparent on the Owston's photo you posted. Also, the eye ring does not look as prominent as shown on photos of female Owston's. But, of course, I have never seen Owston's in life and haven't seen this bird in the field, so I may be wrong!

I think there is a lot still to be learnt about the ID features of females and first-summer males from this group (Narcissus, Owston's and Green-backed).

wleepoin

Po Toi
26 April, 2009
Taken at the same area as Geoff's flycatcher, may be this is the same bird. (kept around by the heavy rain)
See if these can help a little to ID this flycatcher.

Cheers
PWMK

LCY

Another flycatcher photo taken today (30.4.2009) in Po Toi. As spoken with Geoff, posting here for your comparison. We guess this is a female Narcissus.

wgeoff

Thanks to John for a helpful analysis and the photos from Peter and Louis, which I am sure are of the same bird.

I think the other better photos confirm John's opinion that this is a female Narcissus, they are very close to the female Narcissus photo in the Birds Korea Id analysis.

In fact, the bird is still on Po Toi, I saw it today and Louis took the picture today. Anyone interested to see it, it is usually somewhere in the dense scrub between the upper school and the Green Pigeon pathway. But very difficult to find. It makes a soft churring call which is the easiest way to find it. It has now been on Po Toi since at least 20th April, an exceptionally long period for a spring flycatcher.