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Post by Bob Kaufman on Jan 4, 2008 22:23:15 GMT
I have a soft spot for exotics. When it was reported that there was an escaped Golden Weaver inhabiting the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary ( a good 50 miles from where I live), I wasted no time going after it. The light was not that good when I found it. Now the question remains whether it is Taveta Golden Weaver (Ploceus castaneiceps) or a Golden Palm Weaver (Ploceus bojeri). Steve, any comments?  |
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Post by Lydia Robledo on Jan 5, 2008 2:14:39 GMT
It's a beautiful mango bird, I'd call it. Congrats. It's all worth the 50miles drive. lyd
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Post by Romy Ocon on Jan 5, 2008 3:37:12 GMT
Very pretty bird, Bob! Wish our munias are that colorful, without people dyeing the poor birds.  |
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Post by gil on Jan 5, 2008 3:40:59 GMT
I am not much into names but the colors and forms were enough reason for the capture of unusual species. Good take Bob.
gil
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Post by Bob Kaufman on Jan 5, 2008 3:59:27 GMT
It's a beautiful mango bird, I'd call it. Congrats. It's all worth the 50miles drive. lyd Thanks, everybody. Lyds, there is actually a Mango bird - it's a species of hummingbird. There have only been less than ten occurences here in the U.S. (and none in California  ) |
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Post by Lydia Robledo on Jan 5, 2008 4:19:23 GMT
Oh yes, Bob. But the Mango hummingbird looks more like a green-mango. Your San Joaquin bird looks more like the Philippine ripe mango, the kind that you people miss so much.
Yummy color!
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Post by Farmer Nestor on Jan 5, 2008 4:49:32 GMT
looks similar to this (Ploceus aurantius).....  |
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Post by steve pryor on Jan 5, 2008 8:24:37 GMT
Bob,
Will look at it later today, for the ID.
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Post by Bobby Kintanar on Jan 5, 2008 9:09:45 GMT
Those birds are beauties guys! Well captured. :-)
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Post by Reyno Rosete on Jan 8, 2008 1:19:19 GMT
Very nice capture Bob !!!
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Post by steve pryor on Jan 8, 2008 8:01:44 GMT
I have a soft spot for exotics. When it was reported that there was an escaped Golden Weaver inhabiting the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary ( a good 50 miles from where I live), I wasted no time going after it. The light was not that good when I found it. Now the question remains whether it is Taveta Golden Weaver (Ploceus castaneiceps) or a Golden Palm Weaver (Ploceus bojeri). Steve, any comments? Bob, This is a male castaneiceps - the closest confusion species is as you mention the male bojeri - however, we can seperate the two as the bojeri has overall a more golden-yellow mantle (as well as covert feathers) and therefore indistinct covert tips (because they do not contrast) - a condition that we see in the castaneiceps since these zones are darker (and allow us to see the golden tips to the coverts). Rather curious, however, to see a castaneiceps anywhere outside of its' very restricted range in East Africa - I guess another case of the stupid human caged bird trade and subsequent escapes! |
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Post by Bob Kaufman on Jan 8, 2008 21:41:49 GMT
Bob, This is a male castaneiceps - the closest confusion species is as you mention the male bojeri - however, we can seperate the two as the bojeri has overall a more golden-yellow mantle (as well as covert feathers) and therefore indistinct covert tips (because they do not contrast) - a condition that we see in the castaneiceps since these zones are darker (and allow us to see the golden tips to the coverts). Rather curious, however, to see a castaneiceps anywhere outside of its' very restricted range in East Africa - I guess another case of the stupid human caged bird trade and subsequent escapes![/quote] Thanks, Steve, for confirming what I thought it was. And yes, this is one of those escaped individuals. So far it looks healthy and is quite wary. However, its chosen habitat also includes a family of Bobcats.  |
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