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        Discussion Area 討論區 >> Photo Gallery 相片分享 I >>  Arctic Warbler 極北柳鶯
        
(Message started by: cywong on Sep 28^th, 2003, 7:37pm)

Title: Arctic Warbler 極北柳鶯
Post by cywong on Sep 28^th, 2003, 7:37pm

356 Arctic Warbler 極北柳鶯
Would experienced birders please identify this warbler?
http://www.geocities.com/cywong5555/img_0039s.jpg
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/cywong/cywongxxx06.jpg
Mai Po 米埔
20/9/2003

Title: Re: Please help identify
Post by Mike Kilburn on Sep 30^th, 2003, 9:28pm

Hi CY

You ask a tough question! I have looked back to the 1992 Bird Report to try to find the answer. Others will I am sure correct me if I get it wrong.

My first impression is that this phylloscopus warbler is quite big and heavy.

The second thought is that the lower mandible of the bill is dark.

I know sometimes photos don't give a fully accurate picture, but I will base my identification on these points.

First of all lets eliminate the obvious:

Dusky/Rades and Yellow-streaked Warblers are brown, not olive green and have no wingbar.

Yellow-browed has two wing bars, has white edges to the tertials and is small. Pallas's Leaf Warbler is even smaller and has a yellow rump. We can dismiss these.

In autumn the likely phylloscopus warblers are Arctic, Eastern crowned, Pale-legged Leaf(and for ringers Sakhalin Leaf Warbler) and more rarely Two-barred Greenish Wabler.

Because the bird is quite bigand the bill is quite thick it is unlikely to be Pale-legged Leaf, which is the smallest of these and has the smallest bill. It also has a distinctive white tip to the bill.

Eastern Crowned and Two-barrd greenish have a pure yellw lower mandible, so assuming the light in the photo is not payling tricks we can eliminate them.

This means that all we have left is Arctic Warbler. This is the commonest Phylloscopus warbler in September and the most likely. Another good features are the yellowish-grey legs (pale-legged Leaf has greyish pink legs).

However all birds are individuals and some will certain features better than others. Some cannot be idendified for certain, but freezing it on a phot means you can compare with books and articles at home.

In short if it is big and a bit clumsy, has a yellowish bill with a dark tip in the lower mandible then it is likely to be an Arctic Warbler.

I am interested to hear other opinions, especially thse who disagree with me!

Mike

Title: Re: Please help identify
Post by cywong on Sep 30^th, 2003, 9:51pm

Hi Mr. Kilburn,

Thank you very much for your reply and the description of the characteristics of different kinds of warblers. I will try to memorize these characteristics because I have great difficulty in identifying of warblers.

cywong