HKBWS BBS 香港觀鳥會新聞組


    
      
        HKBWS BBS 香 港 觀 鳥 會 新 聞 組
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        Discussion Area 討論區 >> Bird Identification 鳥類辨識 >>  Skua Identification
        
(Message started by: Yat-tung YU on Apr 10^th, 2006, 10:03pm)

Title: Skua Identification
Post by Yat-tung YU on Apr 10^th, 2006, 10:03pm

We could encounter some skuas in recent seabird surveys. Skua identification could be challenging but interesting. Now, I would like to share some of my recent skua pictures and let us practise it here without getting sea-sick!

Picture 1
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/Tung/tung013.jpg

Picture 2
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/Tung/tung014.jpg

Picture 3
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/Tung/tung015.jpg

Picture 4
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/Tung/tung016.jpg

Picture 5
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/Tung/tung018.jpg

Picture 6
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/Tung/tung019.jpg

Picture 7
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/Tung/tung020.jpg

Picture 8
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/Tung/tung017.jpg

Title: Re: Skua Identification
Post by pippenho on Apr 11^th, 2006, 11:06pm

::)等我黎亂估一通 ;D ;D ;D
1=長 long-tailed
2=中 Pomarine
3=長 long-tailed
4=中 Pomarine
5=中 Pomarine
6= 短 Arctic
7= 短 Arctic
8= 短 Arctic
:P ;D

Title: Re: Skua Identification
Post by Falcon on Apr 11^th, 2006, 11:46pm

hm...let me guess :P

1=long tail
2=pomarine?? ???
3=long tail
4=long tail
5=arctic
6=arctic
7=arctic
8=long tail

Title: Re: Skua Identification
Post by macca on Apr 12^th, 2006, 7:26pm

Here's my opinion and why:

1/. Long-tailed Skua- no wing flashes, very slim wings, no sharp division on the colour of the underparts. Note also the characteristic shape of the birds underparts with the deep, bulging chest and slimmer belly.

2/. Arctic- rather evenly (flattish) shaped underparts (lacking the deep barrel chested appearance of Pomerine and compare with long-tailed photos), bill not heavy enough for Pomarine, broader wings than Long-tailed (rather heavily marked breast band though)

3/. Long-tailed Skua- same reasons as number 1

4/. Long-tailed Skua- long tail streamers! also same reasons as 1 & 3

5/. Arctic- same bird as number 2 (with heavliy marked breast band)? Little tail streamers, not spoons!

6/. Arctic- paler breast band on this individual, note shape of underparts.

7/. Arctic- same bird as number 6?

8/. Long-tailed- classic long range identification features of distinctive underpart shape with deep, bulging breast and slimmer belly and narrow, tern like wings. Note the width of the base of the wings is narrower than the width from the rear of the wing to the tip of the tail (not including any streamers), which is the opposite in Arctic Tern (compare photos).

Cheers,

Ian

Ian McKerchar, UK (soon to be visiting HK this Friday Friday ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D)

Title: Re: Skua Identification
Post by Bob Thompson on Apr 12^th, 2006, 7:31pm

Ian McKerchar, UK (soon to be visiting HK this Friday Friday )

Ian,

Keep your fingers crossed Mai Po maybe open for Easter

PS Just announced Mai Po will open tomorrow

http://app2.rthk.org.hk/pda/news/content.php?id=301798

Title: Re: Skua Identification
Post by macca on Apr 12^th, 2006, 7:34pm

Cheers Bob,

fingers, legs, eyes!!!!!!!!!

Anyway I can find out whilst I'm there? Is ringing Mai Po the best option.

Cheers, Ian

Title: Re: Skua Identification
Post by Bob Thompson on Apr 12^th, 2006, 7:36pm

No need to ring just go there. Mai Po is OPEN

http://app2.rthk.org.hk/pda/news/content.php?id=301798

Title: Re: Skua Identification
Post by macca on Apr 12^th, 2006, 7:40pm

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Didn't expect that! Fantastic.

Mai Po here we come,

Ian

Title: Re: Skua Identification
Post by World Cup 2006 on Apr 12^th, 2006, 10:55pm

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!

Great Easter present to all of us!!!!!!!

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Title: Re: Skua Identification
Post by Tony on Apr 13^th, 2006, 12:06am

1長 Long-tailed
2中 Pomarine
3長 Long tailed
4長 Long tailed
5中 Pomarine
6短 artic
7短 artic
8長 Long tailed
??

Title: Re: Skua Identification
Post by Yat-tung YU on Apr 14^th, 2006, 9:51pm

Thank you very much to your posts, especially to Ian and his excellent comments. Also, Ian gets 100% same as my 'answer'. Actually, Photo 1 to 7 are quite straightforward but I am also in 100% on photo 8. Again, thanks for Ian's useful note.

The photo below is another unsure one. I would like to see comments by everybody.

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/Tung/tung021.jpg

Title: Re: Skua Identification
Post by Yat-tung YU on Apr 19^th, 2006, 12:19am

We saw one skua during the seabird survey on last Monday. However, it was not close and flew past very quick and so the identification of this bird was inconclusive. Please see the picture below and your comments on the identification are welcome.

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/Tung/tung022.jpg

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/Tung/tung023.jpg

Title: Re: Skua Identification
Post by miket on Apr 19^th, 2006, 6:49am

The latest picture is, for me, fairly clearly an adult dark phase Arctic, on the basis of amount of white in the wing, general upper part coloration and tail shape.

The previous one seems a very straightforward Long-tailed - just two white shafted primaries and upperpart coloration contrast resulting in a narrow dark trailing edge. The point made by Macca about the bulging chest and slim belly also holds - as well as allowing separation from older adult male birders ;D!

Mike Turnbull