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Written by an evolutionary biologist/ornithologist who writes about E3 -- Evolution, Ecology and Ethology -- and the subtle relationships between these phenomena, especially in birds.
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Topic Categories: Birding • Education • Mystery Birds • Photography • Teaching
Posted on: July 12, 2009 9:59 AM, by "GrrlScientist"
tags: Alpine Chat, Hill Chat, Moorland Chat, Cercomela sordida, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Alpine Chat (also known as the Hill Chat or Moorland Chat), Cercomela sordida, photographed at 14000 feet elevation on Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 22 August 2007 [larger view].
Nikon D2X, Nikon 70-200 lens at 200. ISO 400, 1/250, f/3.5.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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Comments
I'm probably off base but I think this bird could be a Moorland (or Alpine or Hill) Chat, Cercomela sordida. It seems to have a wheatear (Oenanthe)-like tail pattern, dark in the center with white on the outer part, is grayish, and lives at high altitudes in East Africa. My one field guide covering the region (and all of Africa to boot, Sinclair & Ryan's Birds of Africa south of the Sahara), shows this species with a dark eye, but the bird in the photo has something of a light iris.
Posted by: Rob | July 12, 2009 8:38 PM
Rob -- first, I have no idea what this is. Second, I think your idea is better than you thought. I don't see a light iris on this bird. On the larger view, the pale color on the bottom part of the eye is pretty clearly the eye-ring, and the top part of the eye looks pale because of a highlight.
Posted by: psweet | July 13, 2009 10:01 AM
Psweet, you're right, the light part is the eye-ring.
Posted by: Rob | July 13, 2009 12:44 PM
Grrlscientist, have you forgotten about identifying this one?
Posted by: Rob | July 16, 2009 6:13 PM
Yikes! sorry about this. the ID is late, but thanks for the reminder.
Posted by: "GrrlScientist" | July 17, 2009 10:52 AM