GAME: name that bird!

[Game Warden]

Just edited TZ's post, there was a slight problem with the link. Sorted. Matt.

[TZBirder]

Not little greenbul. But you do see them there too...

[inyathi]

I was pretty sure that my guess was wrong and was kind of hoping that someone else might have ago. This is definitely a hard one, the other thought I had was mountain greenbul but of course this may be wrong as well, I'm not sure what else it could be.

[TZBirder]

It's not a greebul of any flavour (though I had considered putting one up). The clue must be in the beak. And also, it was at Amani Nature reserve.

[inyathi]

I did think maybe I was barking up the wrong tree with a greenbul because the shape of the beak wasn’t right but I couldn’t think of anything else, however having had another think, I’ll risk getting it wrong again and have one more guess and say green barbet.

[TZBirder]

bingo! MUch easier to ID in the field than this bad picture!

[inyathi]

bingo! MUch easier to ID in the field than this bad picture!

I find in forests this is often the only view or at least the only kind of photo you can get, I must of taken loads of similar shots, I just hope I've kept a few as they could certainly prove useful for this game I'll have to have a proper look, in the meanwhile how about this pair.

 

[Jochen]

Pfff... gone are the old days when a noob such as me could still play this game with a bit of certainty of getting it right.

 

 

Shelley's Francolin?

[twaffle]

Jochen, I don't even try!

[inyathi]

Very close Jochen, a first cousin of Shelley’s

 

I like to try and find a balance between choosing ones that are too easy and ones that are too hard just to keep it interesting but even with the really hard ones it may be just a question of having the right bird book, I always look everything up in several books just to be sure, after all it gets a bit embarrassing if you keep getting it wrong

[Vlad the Impala]

Good game! Can I play?!

 

I will take a guess at Moorland Francolin?

[inyathi]

Karibu sana Vlad, another good answer but I’m afraid they’re not moorland either

[TZBirder]

Despite what the books show, I think white below the eye and an orange chin usually means red-winged. But I'm guessing a bit!

[inyathi]

Spot-on, red-winged on the Nyika Plateau in Malawi, I took the photo 10yrs ago back in 01 so I thought I'd better check my bird list and compare the full sized photo with the illustrations in various books just to make sure before I posted it. I wouldn’t want to make it any more difficult by having the ID wrong which is quite possible, there weren’t as many books back then. Mind you even with lots of books I’m still quite capable of getting it wrong.

[TZBirder]

Oh dear, must be someone else's turn this time. Here's another recent one (mind, I've been all over the past 10 days! Definitely TZ though...)

 

The picture isn't too bad this time, so hope everyone's in with a chance. You've got to Thursday, because I'm off to the bush then for a couple of weeks...

[Sverker]

Ha, I have seen that one a thousand times - it´s a LBB

[Jochen]

My first guess would be Malindi Pipit as it really looks like that, but you said Tanzania, not Kenya.

 

So... Tree Pipit?

 

(it's probably a bird with a smaller (local Tanzanian) range but I got no bird book of Tanzania).

[TZBirder]

My first guess would be Malindi Pipit as it really looks like that, but you said Tanzania, not Kenya.

 

So... Tree Pipit?

 

(it's probably a bird with a smaller (local Tanzanian) range but I got no bird book of Tanzania).

 

Just back in town (sorry for the delay!), it's neither of these. And it has a large (very large! South Africa to Somalia and west to Senegal!) distribution, so should be in your books if not on your radar...

[TZBirder]

If no-one get's this soon I'll decide I was too cruel and give the answer...

[TZBirder]

It's a cisticola. Still no takers for the species?...

[Rainbirder]

Heavily streaked crown and back with a suggestion of a paler collar.

Is it a Zitting Cisticola?

[TZBirder]

Very close! It's desert. Much paler and with very little warmth anywhere, even on the flanks where its always visible on Zitting. And you'd probably see the warm rump on a similar angle too. The only other confusion species for a small cisticola like this is Pectoral patch, but again the tone and general feeling aren't right. Plus sitting in a bare thorny bush is always a good sign of desert!

 

So As I've been too nasty, anyone else want to provide an easier one?

[pault]

OH! This may be my only chance to play this game! TZBirder has to provide the answer as I am unsure myself. :rolleyes:

 

Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana, but it was in December.

 

[Rainbirder]

It's a juvenile Harrier -either Pallid or Montagu's (but I suspect you know that!).

 

The uniform very dark secondaries and the barring confined to the inner primaries coupled with all dark fingers and dark trailing edge to the primaries are all Montagu's features. There is a pale collar but it doesn't stand out too prominently and the head pattern is not all that contrasting -not typical features of Pallid.

I'll stick my neck out and vote for a juvenile Montagu's Harrier.

[pault]

I got as far as "harrier" and "looks like the Montagu in my book, but not the same".... and then... "but it doesn't look like any of the other harriers either... Oh, I give up!" Juveniles get me every time.

 

I think you are probably next, although we can wait for comfirmation from the man whose 'turn' I am taking, "TZBirder".