Juvenile Firetail Finch and Juvenile Cuckoo

["Steve Holliday" <>]

Can’t say that possibility had occurred to me. I have crossed paths with a fair number of Black-eared Cuckoos over the years - in the field adult birds really don’t look all that much like a Horsfield’s in any plumage. They are a bit bigger, longer-tailed, and look grey. They also have an obvious, broad creamy white supercilium, not greyish and broken as on the bird in the photo. The scaly feathering on the wings and back also say juvenile Horsfield’s rather than Black-eared. I don’t think I can see enough of the tail to say if there is any rufous in it or not. I still reckon juvenile Horsfield’s.

Cheers

Steve

 

 

From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Monday, 22 December 2014 10:04 AM
To: 'Mark Clayton'; 'kym bradley';
Subject: [canberrabirds] Juvenile Firetail Finch and Juvenile Cuckoo

 

Sorry to ask for clarification on this. Actually I was wondering if it was an adult Black-eared Cuckoo (even in worn plumage - as shown in HANZAB). If it is a Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo then yes it is a juvenile. But that is one logic step across and Kym's labelling it as a juvenile may be based on that first. Sure, juvenile Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo is more likely (common) here, so on balance of probability if it fits that it would be that. But this bird shows almost no markings, other than the face pattern, no greenish above or reddish in the tail. I don't know juvenile Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo to be as unmarked, dull brown as this one and yet have such an obvious face pattern. If I saw what is in that photo where Black-eared Cuckoos are regular and I had nothing else to go on, I suspect I would think it an adult Black-eared Cuckoo. So why would that be wrong? But then I have no experience with that species.

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Clayton
Sent: Monday, 22 December 2014 8:03 AM
To: 'kym bradley'; m("canberrabirds.org.au","canberrabirds");">
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Juvenile Firetail Finch and Juvenile Cuckoo

I agree with both Steve and Julian, definitely a juvenile Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo. Julian, is your Black-eared Cuckoo the bird we caught last year at Charcoal Tank?

 

A nice photo of the Juvenile Diamond Firetail.

 

Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year one and all.

 

Cheers,

Mark

 

From: kym bradley [m("hotmail.com","goldnbits");">]
Sent: Sunday, 21 December 2014 9:51 PM
To: m("canberrabirds.org.au","canberrabirds");">
Subject: [canberrabirds] Juvenile Firetail Finch and Juvenile Cuckoo

 

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