Comments

1. #1 David Hilmy

   February 6, 2010

   Trying the “sweet” approach today… gotta go straight to the family Hirundinidae, 21 species in which are to be found in Tanzania… a quick little check and we really only have to decide between one “greater” or “lesser”, the former with an orange rump and chestnut crown and nape, the latter described as “heavier” with rump and head a deeper red…

   given the nuances of photography, a little finer detail is necessary to determine that the former’s streaking is usually only discernible at close range (our subject has relatively bold streaking) but perhaps the most obvious distinction is that on the former, the ear coverts are white and on the latter, the entire head is orangey-red… a confirming mark is that on the “greater” there is no color on the vent, but as we can see above, the “lesser” has the same color as on it’s rump…

   specifically, a “hood” is simply not enough and therefore as known at the time by Gueren-Meneville, our subject was named after the territory slighted by the longest ruling British monarch

2. #2 qetzal

   February 6, 2010

   Do we know its air speed velocity (unladen)?

3. #3 Adrian

   February 6, 2010

   The only time the air speed was measured the bird was seen to be carrying a coconut (by the husk).
   David, A good summary of the possibilities, I’m going out now so I’ll be seein’ ya. (poor pun, I know)

4. #4 Adrian

   February 7, 2010

   My abject apologies, my execrable attempt at a pun appears to have broken the thread.