It is interesting to see this bird make a return onto the forum because I
also have never been comfortable with the ID of Olive Whistler, and feel
this is a very good opportunity to tease out the differences between Golden
and Olive as first immatures, I don't feel the bird is strongly marked
enough for adult Olive.
The ID of this bird as an Olive is not as straight forward as has been
claimed and people need to say why they came to that conclusion, it's
certainly not covered very well if at all in Australian Bird Guides.
Firstly the bi-coloured bill is common with first year and possibly some
young female/non-breeding Golden Whistlers( along with a number of other
Whistler species) and is there for of little value here from an ID point of
view. I have also seen a degree of variation in the underparts of young
Goldens, some just darker, some with soft streaking, but always with pale
throats.
Issues around how dark the breast and belly and what colour, and how
prominently demarcated the pale throat needs to be before it cannot be
called a young Golden need to be established. Both of these features on the
Sale bird do not seem strong enough to my eye for Olive Whistler and
certainly not strong enough for adult female. But I cannot remember the last
time I saw a first year Olive Whistler, so can anyone provide description or
photo support to describe this age class for Olive?. The bird also does not
seem thick set enough for Olive, especially around head and neck, but it
does look a perfect fit for Golden.
If anyone out there has photos of definite first year Olive Whistlers now is
the time to share them with us. I am happy for some one to convince me it's
an Olive, I just want to know why.
Cheers Jeff.
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Greg & Val Clancy
Sent: Sunday, 13 July 2008 10:29 AM
To: Chris Corben; Birding-Aus (Forum)
Subject: Birds around Brisbane - Banded Lapwings,Superb
Blue Wrens, Golden Whistler etc
I also wondered whether the Sale bird could have been an immature Golden
Whistler but as I have had very limited experience with the Olive Whistler I
chose to keep my head down - until now!
Greg Clancy
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