birding-aus

Re: Identity of Scaly/White's Thrush in Lamington National Park

To: David James <>
Subject: Re: Identity of Scaly/White's Thrush in Lamington National Park
From: George Appleby <>
Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 11:28:51 -0816 (UTC)
On Thu, 05 Mar 1998 12:08:27 +1000 David James 
<> wrote:

> 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

Greetings all

I'll have to buy into the Myiagra flycatcher I.D. problem 
but in reference to Satin v. Leaden in south-east 
Australia. There seem to be some pretty good tips about 
features to separate the two species in adult male and 
female plumage (sorry, I don't have many of them at hand!) 
but what about in juvenile plumage or by call (particularly 
the latter)? After undertaking extensive surveys in 
Gippsland recently, I couldn't come up with calls 
diagnostic of either species. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

George 

----------------------
George Appleby






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