FW: eBirders! Take care with Long-billed Corella identification

[ben milbourne via Canberrabirds <>]

The following is an extract of a conversation on the matter of reporting a species and its hybrids.  Loosely the context was: does it matter what we name something we've seen?

To the ordinary passer by - no, not really. But to those interested in for example population health, distribution, and dynamics - yes, absolutely.  

Why?  Because if you're going to 'name' something you see, it cannot be left to a subjective opinion. No matter how appealing that may be.

It's simply the ACT has predominantly hybrid forms of long-bills. So makes this a biological landscape that's going to be complicated.  

And, as such we mere relative newbies will need to defer to more experienced long-term observers. And until it's clear, it's okay, indeed wise, to proudly announce we are unsure of what we've observed or photographed.

It's just part of the process.

To me, not knowing, digging deeper, is part of the excitement.  Albeit awfully frustrating at times.

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From: Canberrabirds <> on behalf of Geoffrey Dabb <>
Sent: Monday, January 8, 2024 3:54:36 PM
To: Canberrabirds <>
Subject: [Canberrabirds] FW: eBirders! Take care with Long-billed Corella identification

 

Sue  -  I tend to agree with what I think is Kim’s approach. In the attached pic from the heartland of the species in western Vic, all show the relevant ID features, as stated in ABG ‘a greatly elongated upper mandible and a red ‘cut-throat’ and face’.   However, the second illustration of the species in ABG (the one with ‘crest lowered’) shows a bird with less red and a bill barely longer than a Little Corella.  This is a likely source of confusion, as it does indeed look like of of the hybrids to be found around here. 

 

From: Canberrabirds <> On Behalf Of Sue Beatty via Canberrabirds
Sent: Monday, January 8, 2024 1:22 PM
To: Kim Farley <>; Canberra birds <>
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] eBirders! Take care with Long-billed Corella identification

 

Hi Kim, fellow twitchers and other birders,

 

I think I’m one of the culprits here, though I had already decided that mine looked a bit debatable and changed it in eBird to “Little x Long-billed Corella (hybrid)”. But the thing is I HAD checked my favourite field guide, the CSIRO Australian Bird Guide, and one of the adult Long-billeds there looks very like my photo. I suspect there’s quite a variation in even the non-hybrid birds, so it’s very difficult to be sure which we are looking at in the ACT where they are known to have hybridized. This wouldn’t be such a problem except we’re all so concerned with our eBird rankings that we have to go and find one each year 😊. My immediate solution (when I get desperate enough!) will be to go down to Lake Tuggeranong and find the one Sandra photographed, which is actually a lot redder even than the Long-billed Corellas in the field guide!

 

I can’t find Sandra’s photo taken last week in eBird, but in case it helps, here’s the list with mine which is NOT enough of a Long-billed Corella to make the cut:

https://ebird.org/checklist/S157910784

 

Would it help if Kim made them rare in the ACT in eBird? Not everyone puts up a photo to be critically examined, so maybe it would be better if everyone without a photo described what they’re seeing that justifies the sighting?

 

Cheers,

Sue

 

 

 

 

 

From: Canberrabirds <> On Behalf Of Kim Farley via Canberrabirds
Sent: Monday, January 8, 2024 9:16 AM
To: Canberra birds <>
Subject: [Canberrabirds] eBirders! Take care with Long-billed Corella identification

 

Hi all

I have needed to unconfirm several Long-billed Corella records in recent weeks as the photos submitted showed what were clearly hybrid birds. Little and Long-billed Corellas interbreed, and the hybrids show varying amounts of red across the throat as well as on the lores (between bill and eye). 

For our newer birders in particular, before submitting an eBird record for Long-billed Corella, please check a field guide (hard copy or app), or Macaulay Library - or whatever authoritative guide works for you. Document your sighting in eBird and/or take a photo to upload later.

Happy birding

Kim

ACT eBIrd reviewer

 

 

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