A bit difficult I know, but with practice the different tails can be
a big help in id..
The tail of the VF-w is proportionately longer and has white edging
at the tips of the longest feathers.
The tail of the SF-w is shorter and dark blue without the white edging.
My impression of tail length is that in the VF-w it appears to be
longer than head-body length while in the SF-w it appears to equal
head-body length.
Also if females are present the tail of the VF-w has a blue wash
while that of the SF-w (including Imms.) is brown. I very rarely see
males without brown birds being present.
Andy
I am having difficulty differentiating male non-breeding Superb and
Variegated Fairy-wrens in the field. HANZAB vol 5 states that male
Variegated are 'similar to adult female except tail bluer; bill and
lores black; and have an obvious narrow off-white eye-ring... '. Superb
males are 'similar to adult females except bill and loral stripe,
black'. This black loral stripe is then not pictured in Marsack's
illustration, nor can I find it in any field guide. Indeed most field
guides don't illustrate the non-breeding males. I would appreciate any
comments on methods to distinguish the two from other birders.
Regards
Alastair
--------------------------------------------
Birding-Aus is now on the Web at
www.birding-aus.org
--------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message 'unsubscribe
birding-aus' (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
--
Andy Burton's Bush Tours
52 Abingdon Rd
ROSEVILLE
NSW 2069
Ph. 61 2 9416 2636
Mob. 0408 937 531
--------------------------------------------
Birding-Aus is now on the Web at
www.birding-aus.org
--------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message 'unsubscribe
birding-aus' (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
| 