Unidentified mountain flycatcher?

[Ramon Quisumbing]

Early this morning, I went birding in Mt. Banahaw at 3,000 feet above sea level at the edge of the forest. I found a mixed flock of Chestnut-Faced Babblers, Mountain-Verditer Flycatcher, Elegant Tits, Yellowish White-Eyes, and 1 species of tiny bird I only got a glimpse of.

I then photographed this tiny gray-bluish bird in a small tree. It was with the mixed flock of insect eaters. It looks like a flycatcher to me.


Is this a female Little Pied Flycatcher? ID please?

[steve pryor]

Hi Ramon,
For me at least there just isn't enough. I would be just guessing.

[Ramon Quisumbing]

That's understandable. Thanks for trying, Steve.

[des]

I would guess a Philippine Bush warbler

[Ramon Quisumbing]

Jan 18, 2012 23:48:50 GMT des said:

I would guess a Philippine Bush warbler

Des, the KG has 4 Bush-Warblers - Oriental, Luzon, Sunda and Benguet. Which one are you referring to as the Philippine Bush Warbler?

All 4 are brown, whereas my bird appears to be bluish gray, but that could be the effect of the lighting.

In any event, I intend to go up to the same clearing 2 weekends from now, so I can get hopefully take better photos.

[Tonji Ramos]

LUZON BUSH-WARBLER
aka Philippine Bush Warbler
Cettia seebohmi
Family Sylviidae



If your bird is a Philippine Bush Warbler like Des is guessing, it looks like a young bird.

[des]

Thanks Tonji, yes that's the one. It is smoky bluegrey below with a dark lore and white crescents below (and above) the eye. The lower mandible can be pinkish; overall the bill is not specially wide at the base unlike typical flycatchers. There are rictal bristles around the face but they are quite weak.

[Ramon Quisumbing]

Thanks for the probable ID, Tonji and Des. It certainly looks correct to my amateur eye.

The KG says the Luzon Bush-Warbler is confined to the Cordillera Mountains of northwestern Luzon. This would show that its range is wider and includes Mt. Banahaw in southern Luzon.

I now have another mission - to return to the mountain clearing ASAP and take more complete photos of the LBW to confirm your ID. Thanks again.

[des]

It is best told by its song. There will be plenty on xeno-canto. If you can do record some.