Hi, I was hoping for some help to identify some birds that I can't seem to find on the database. I don't have any photo's to help and I'm a beginner and don't know the technical terms. I appreciate any help.
I'm in Darwin, Northern Territory.
Bird 1:
Probably a largish honeyeater. Drab grey/black all over but has a very distinctive white spot under it's black eye.
Bird 2:
Pigeon-sized bird with distinctive black hood, large red are around eye, yellow breast and underbody. Wings and back are olive-green.
Bird 3:
Pigeon-sized bird, metallic blue/black all over, red eye.
Thanks again.
Karan.
Bird 2: Australiasian Figbird. http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Sphecotheres-vieilloti (northern birds are more yellow)
Bird 3: Could be a Koel. Just a thought.
I'll leave 1 & 3 for others.
3 may be a Spangled Drongo.
Bird 3 could be a White-winged Chough. (I'll try to find a photo)
M-L
Argh! That was the one I was trying to think of the name of tim.
A definite possibility.
Did it look like that?
M-L
Close Araminta but the bird in the picture doesn't have the glossy-ness of the one I've seen here. I'm going to have to have a better look tomorrow at it's tail and beak to narrow it down a bit more. Thanks.
Maybe a Drongo but just haven't noticed any "spangles". Very glossy but without any distinguishing marks. Will check again tomorrow. Thanks for the help.
Hi Number 3 could be a metallic starling, Australia's only native starling
I'm thinking White-gaped Honeyeater for No.1. Figbird sounds right. I'm pretty sure Metallic Starlings are rare visitors to Darwin - saying that, it sounds like your bird. I don't think choughs are found there at all. LJ
Darwin is a long way from chough country.
Karan, for a beginner you're not doing too badly with your descriptions. Well done. Keep at it because the more detail you can provide, including habitat & behavioiur, the better the chances of an accurate identification. At some stage you might want to invest in a bird field guide.
I think it is a Spangled Drongo, Metallic Starlings would be rare in Darwin an even more so for Chough's. Drongos have a metallic blue sheen over them and faint spots.
Thanks LJ I think you are right that bird 1 is a white-gaped honeyeater. I'm going with the Australasian Figbird for bird 2 only because I cannot find anything remotely similar though I'm worried about the bright yellow underbody which I can't find in any photos of the Figbird. The jurys still out for bird 3.
Thanks Woko. I would love to get a field guide someday and a decent camera that can zoom in on them :-)
Bird 2 - I hope that the Yellow Figbird (race ashbyi) pic attached answers your question on yellow belly.
Bird 3 - a Spangled Drongo should have an evident fishtail
Peter
a typical Spangled Drongo pose, however this bird from Kunghur, Northern Rivers NSW - does this help to ID your bird?
Peter