Does anyone have any really firm criteria for separating Satin from Leaden
Flycatchers, the darker colouring apart? The pair I saw at the Styx River
crossing on Friday certainly seemed darker (the male that is!) than the Leadens
I have commonly seen in the coastal regions. But their flitting about from
bright sunlight to leafy shade, with the dramatic changes to their colouring
that this causes, left me with an element of doubt. The habitat was certainly
right for Satins, and the calls I felt were palpably more 'strident', as one of
the field-guides puts it. The insistent two-note call seemed particularly
vehement. Pizzey and Knight states that Leadens wag their tails up and down,
and Satins 'mostly' do the same but 'occasionally' wag them sideways. That
seems to me at best an uncertain criterion for distinction.
Does anyone have any helpful advice? I am certain the birds will still be
around next time I am there.
Thanks,
John Clifton-Everest
----------------------------------------------------------------
This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.
--------------------------------------------
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
|
