Generally, the white-eyes found in this country are terribly similar in appearance. However, the lead to assume is that it's pretty safe to identify them by location and habitat.
However, to be technically correct, the differences between the Hume's White-eye and Swinhoe's White-eye are given as follows (taken from varied sources, ad verbatim):
Hume's White-eye (Zosterops auriventer):
- yellow band running down centre of breast and belly, connecting throat with vent
- darker, more olive-green upperparts
- forehead (frontal band) and above lores - darker green, lacks yellow
- median yellow streak on underparts, runs forward from belly but does not reach yellow of upper breast
Swinhoe's White-eye (Zosterops simplex):
- yellow frontal band, yellow above lores
- lacks decent yellow median stripe
- olive green upperparts
- more prominent white-eyering
- yellow forehead, throat, upper breast
- pale grey lower breast and belly, with yellow undertail coverts
Sources: Wells (20007), Ebird/species, Bird Ecology Study Group
Honestly, I'm still baffled!
My most recent encounter with these birds once again raised questions over the identity of these birds despite knowing well that they are here in the bukit, but perhaps could some of these birds occasionally transit here, so perhaps, some of them could be Swinhoe's?
The following at least could easily be identified as Hume's White-eyes.
A composite put together of those seen over the years, including those I've seen in areas that can 'safely' be identified as haunts of Swinhoe's White-eyes, could be representative of the White-eye dilemma!
# The bottom last two are identified as Swinhoe's White-eyes by virtue of location and especially by its distinct broader eyering.
No comments:
Post a Comment