Hi identification buffs
"Scaly" Thrushes - now here is a minefield. Remember there are actually
three including lunulata (s.e. Aus from Tas to Connondales or further);
heinei (E. aus from NSW central coast? to Wet Tropics) and cuneata (Wet
Tropics). The latter is currently considered a subspecies of lunulata, but
is pretty poorly known; from a feild ID point of veiw separating cuneata
and heinei is not the same as separating lunulata and heinei. The published
ID info on this group is pretty scanty for this day and age. Is anyone able
to prepare an identification article on this group? Maybe for wingspan, or
maybe for the web?
Here are a few other groups desperately in need of identification articles.
These are groups that seem to be routinely misidentified by people using
modern field-guides, and for which there is little or no extra literature
easily accesible:
Cisticolas
Myiagra flycatchers (why are there so many records of male Satin and so few
female and juvenile Satin on migration? Why are there so many unconfirmed
records of broad-billed from the tropical east?)
Atherton and Large-billed Scrubwren (some say they can't be identified at
most locations where they are sympatric!)
Grey Whistler and Lemon-breasted Flycatcher (OK, maybe there is no problem
here but the number of times I've seen this stuffed up... In particular in
Fauna surveys!)
Anyone game to push back the frontiers of bird identification on these
subjects ? Or at least to throw a catbird amongst the pigeons and get some
discussion happening?
David James
PO BOX 5225
Townsville Mail Centre 4810
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