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Post by ppaaoolloo on Aug 10, 2010 0:47:05 GMT
The closest ID I could see is the Island Thrush Turdus poliocephalus. Camera Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure 0.006 sec (1/160) Aperture f/5.6 Focal Length 800 mm ISO Speed 320 Support Tripod+Gimbal Location: Muntinlupa
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Post by alainpascua on Aug 10, 2010 1:29:51 GMT
Wow, Paolo! Excellent shot! I don't know this bird, but looking at the wires and metals, it really looks like a robotica!
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Post by Romy Ocon on Aug 10, 2010 2:02:54 GMT
The Island Thrush is a montane bird, Pao.... usually above 1000 m. Note the eye ring and leg color of the reference pic below. Your bird looks to me like a Crested Myna that badly needs a shower.
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Post by ppaaoolloo on Aug 10, 2010 2:09:57 GMT
Thanks for the ID Romy. Might I ask is this a male/female or young bird I took a photo off?
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Post by Romy Ocon on Aug 10, 2010 2:16:08 GMT
Both sexes look similar, Pao. If you have another photo with the beak not open, check if you can see an immature-like gape. BTW, Crested Mynas are usually prone to torn tail feathers, perhaps because they often walk a lot dragging their tail when foraging on the ground. OTOH, Collared Kingfishers try to keep their tails pristine and well-groomed by raising such when on the ground. ;D ;D ;D
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Post by ppaaoolloo on Aug 10, 2010 6:28:02 GMT
Here is another one with it's tail showing Camera Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure 0.004 sec (1/250) Aperture f/5.6 Focal Length 800 mm ISO Speed 320 Support Tripod+Gimbal Location: Muntinlupa
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Post by Eric Patdu on Aug 10, 2010 7:51:31 GMT
Looks like a bird from the starling family (Sturnidae) but I can't nail the species due to the strange coloration.
The closest is what Sir Romy said, a Crested Myna. But I believe that the immature of this species (Crested Myna) is also black so, I can't be sure.
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Post by Toto Gamboa on Aug 10, 2010 9:08:55 GMT
Could be an escapee. A painted Crested Myna. Teh white wing patch is missing.
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Post by Rene Calado Jr. on Aug 10, 2010 11:24:39 GMT
Hi Pao!
No white wing patch (even its immature), not a Crested Myna. How big was the bird (estimate)?
Regards,
Rene
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Post by Bobby Kintanar on Aug 10, 2010 12:24:46 GMT
Pao, try to catch another photo of this bird, and note its behaviour. You may have captured another species for the books!
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Post by ppaaoolloo on Aug 10, 2010 15:13:42 GMT
Eric, It is possible my white balance that was set to "cloudy" because it was cloudy that morning threw off the color but I do remember the bird being of that color. Glenn, you are probably right about it being an escape. But I wonder who would want to cage a bird this... unique looking. Rene, about 6 inches? I also posted below the electrical post it was perching on to give it scale. Bobby, I'll attempt again tomorrow
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Post by Toto Gamboa on Aug 10, 2010 22:47:31 GMT
Could this be a Brahminy Starling? Seems not! hehe
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Post by Romy Ocon on Aug 11, 2010 0:44:53 GMT
Estimating the size of the bird:I'd choose this shot because the bird is less oblique to the sensor plane than the other shots. I'd estimate that the bird's body is about 30 degrees angle from the sensor plane. The perch appears to be a 6-strand Meralco wire rope which is roughly 1 cm in diameter. Opening the photo in PS, and using the ruler/info tools, I find that the bird's oblique total length is roughly 21x the diameter of the wire. Hence, the bird's oblique length = 21 x ( 1 cm) = 21 cm obliquely. Correcting for obliqueness, we use the cosine of the estimated 30 degrees angle, which is 0.866. Thus, estimated total length = 21 cm/0.866 = 24.25 cm or 9.5 inches. Allowing for a +/- 1" margin of error, I'd say the bird is 8.5 inches to 10.5 inches total length. Why I think it's a Crested Myna: 1. This size is consistent with the total length of a Crested Myna which is 10". 2. The bill, eyes and legs appear consistent with a Crested Myna. 3. Note that in this photo, at the end of the central tail feather, a whitish tip is recognizable, consistent with a Crested Myna. 4. Habitat is right for a Crested Myna. 5. The white in the wing is missing from the posted photos not necessarily because it isn't there, but probably because the angle of view hides it and/or it's discolored by whatever material also discolored the head feathers. 6. The head crest is not prominent, but I can make the case that the crest feathers are caked in dirt and thus can't stand prominently. Reasons 1-4 IMHO outweigh the uncertainties in 5-6, and hence I'd lean towards a Crested Myna. My approach is if other features are compromised (like feathers are discolored), I go to the uncompromised ones - bill, eyes, legs, size, behavior, habitat, etc. That said, I hope I'm mistaken and this is an exciting new species in our islands. I think the ID will be fixed better once Paolo captures it in flight (for the definitive absence or presence of the white wing bars). EDIT - Will cross-post this at the WBCP e-group to solicit more opinions on the ID.
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Post by Toto Gamboa on Aug 11, 2010 2:51:09 GMT
I agree more with Mastah's logic here and I am leaning towards a Crested Myna too. A dyed one. I have seen a blue and red crested myna before carried by an ambulant vendor. It could be an escapee and that the dye has worn off.
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Post by Romy Ocon on Aug 11, 2010 9:28:36 GMT
I posted this at the WBCP e-group this morning:
Here's a reply from Des Allen:
Hi Romy,
I am on a dialup connection here at the moment and it takes about 20 minutes to load that page. i got one pic of the bird and only the head of the other pic. I agree that structurally it looks like Crested Myna. The shape of the head and bill looks right for CM, though the bill base feathering is not yet developed. I have never seen a juvenile CM looking like that , and if it is a juv then it is fascinating that we are not familiar with such a common bird. Juvs have damaged tails because they get wedged in the nest as they grow. I am away from all my reference books just now so I can't check what the starling experts say about it, but will get back to you about it when I can.
Great to see your forum continually coming up with ornithological challenges!
cheers
Des
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Post by Bob Kaufman on Aug 11, 2010 10:06:04 GMT
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Post by mantarey on Aug 11, 2010 13:34:33 GMT
Yes bro I think they do look very similar to me, like the head looks brownish too.
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Post by Bobby Kintanar on Aug 11, 2010 14:03:36 GMT
Hehehe, after seeing the birds on the given link to OBI, I am leaning towards a CM now, BUT artificially painted. I never saw a Myna painted before! But structurally, I am almost sure Ka Mastah has the ID right! :-)
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Post by Romy Ocon on Aug 11, 2010 20:40:40 GMT
Here is another one with it's tail showing From the OBI juves that Bob linked, it appears that young birds don't have a prominent head crest yet. If I compare the above photo to the ones I earlier posted , I seem to discern an immature gape in Pao's bird. These point to an immature Crested Myna, whose feathers were discolored.
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Post by Toto Gamboa on Aug 12, 2010 0:36:38 GMT
I had a strong feeling the feathers are dyed. the uneven discoloration is very characteristic of a worn out dye. What is bugging me is the even, very prominent, almost natural looking hood that doesnt look worn out. Could be explained though by this individual has been recently dyed with its crest trimmed. My theory is very wild and crazy though hahah.
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