tags: Pink-breasted Lark, Mirafra poecilosterna, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Pink-breasted Lark, Mirafra poecilosterna, photographed near the Pangani River Camp, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 13 January 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D300, 600 mm VR lens, ISO 800, 1/1600 sec, f/7.1, Exposure compensation 0..
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
HINT 1: this species is in the Alaudidae family and was first described by a German.
HINT 2: anagram of scientific name included in comment thread below.
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Comments
Noone yet? With that bill, I'll venture that it's probably a thrush, but that's as far as I can go.
Posted by: psweet | March 20, 2010 2:06 PM
I'm going to go for a female or immature Ploceus for now.
Posted by: carel | March 20, 2010 2:19 PM
OK, I'm going for a Green/Brownbul or a Cisticola Warbler. The problem I have with this is the ginger on the lores and supercilium, I don't know of a bird with this feature.
Posted by: Adrian | March 20, 2010 2:40 PM
We don't seem to be getting very far with this. There is little on the web in the way of pictures to help. So, strong bill, rufous face, reddish/brown eye, no contrast between back, wings and tail, pinkish legs. The nearest I can find are Red-faced Cisticola, which should have a graduated tail with black and pale tips, or Northern Brownbul and its close relative Terrestrial Brownbul. After that I'm lost.
Posted by: Adrian | March 20, 2010 6:48 PM
Coming in late to this today after [literally] working in the fields and initially did indeed feel this was from the Cisticolidae although I'm not convinced about the comparative bill shapes... but if so, I am tending towards a lazy stone's-throw away from the species thus far suggested
Posted by: David Hilmy | March 20, 2010 7:38 PM
Hello David, Sorry I don't get the "lazy stone's-throw" clue (unless it's a little red rooster), but it is after midnight here! Your picture shows a buffish lores and super. so I still can't understand the reddish on this bird.
Posted by: Adrian | March 20, 2010 8:24 PM
Adrian,
I was referring to the Lazy or Rock-loving Cisticola (Cisticola aberrans) which is sometimes split into two species: Lazy Cisticola (C. aberrans) in the southern part of its range and Rock-loving Cisticola (C. emini) further north... perhaps there is a subspecies/geographical difference that would address your "reddishness"...
then again, the Little Greenbul (Andropadus virens) looks close also...
Posted by: David Hilmy | March 20, 2010 8:43 PM
Hello David, my Birds of Kenya says that aberrans ssp teitensis is known from four old specimens and a few sight records from SE Kenya and NE Tanzania. ssp emini from three specimens collected "years ago" near Mwanza and S Lake Victoria. It's not even illustrated, but should have a rufous cap. It's late here now and I can't see the keys, so I'll continue this in the morning. Good night.
Posted by: Adrian | March 20, 2010 9:01 PM
I confess, I'm nowhere near identifying this one. I've dismissed Cisticolas as the similar birds all have a graduated tail. Both Terrestrial and Northern Brownbuls have grey feet (darker in Northern). This appears to be a juvenile/1st winter as coverts and tertials don't look to be fully grown yet, so if I must pick one I'll go for immature Terrestrial Brownbul as this should have flesh-coloured legs, although the Kenya book says that imm. bare parts not fully recorded.
Posted by: Adrian | March 21, 2010 8:21 AM
Having discussed this with Grrl, I just want to point out that a faecal stripier moron can become a bleached ascending robin.
Posted by: Bob O'H | March 21, 2010 10:48 AM
I had dismissed Alaudidae as this bird is very plain for a Mirafra.
Quote; "A slender pipit-like lark that commonly perches in trees. Face pale rufous to pinkish cinnamon, with variable mottling of same colour on breast and sides. Crown dark grey with fine dusky streaks; back and wings brownish grey mottled with dusky. Brown wings and tail have narrow pale edgings but show no rufous. No white in tail. Eyes and bill brown; feet pale pinish flesh."
So if as Bob says this is bleached I suppose that's why I missed this.
Posted by: Adrian | March 21, 2010 11:35 AM
Oops. That should read "pinkish" not wooden.
From the clues an "ascending" would be a Lark, "Robin" refers to the breast colour and the "Faecal stripier moron" to the latin name Mirafra poecilosterna I presume. That makes it a Pink-breasted Lark.
I wouldn't have got that without the clues, thanks.
Posted by: Adrian | March 21, 2010 5:05 PM
wow, adrian is Da Bird Bomb! *w00t!*
Posted by: "GrrlScientist" | March 22, 2010 6:44 AM