small bird ID help

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Wampy
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small bird ID help

I have difficulty distinguishing a lot of small birds, this bird appears to be an immature robin or something else, any help would be appreciated.

It was observed at Edithvale Wetlands in Victoria.


_MG_9752 by Frankzed, on Flickr

Kimbolina
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Sorry I can't help you, but that is such a sweet looking bird and a lovely photo.

birdie
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I don't really know but could it be Flame Robin??? or a Rose Robin ( juv or female???)

Sunshine Coast Queensland

Owen1
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hi wampy.
i think this bird is an Australian reed warbler.
they are quite buffy in coluor and have no streaking like the other grassbirds.
they are extremely hard to photograph and even find.
a great find if it is.

regards, owen

Cheers, Owen.

Araminta
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Hi Owen1, if I would say, (I might not want to say that?),but could it be a Brown Thornbill? What would indicate to you, that it isn't??

M-L

Owen1
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well arminta, you can say whatever you want, i am open to discussion.
brown thornbills are noticeably smaller than the bird pictured and have tiny bills, dark streaking on the breast, and are lighter in brown and yellow.

Cheers, Owen.

Owen1
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also araminta, reed warblers-as the name suggests will always hang around reeds.
brown thornbills will tend to like shrubbery and open areas with shorter grass so they can feed.
not a bad guess though

Cheers, Owen.

Araminta
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Owen, like you I said what I said, because I'm not certain, I will look through some more books. But I take all your suggestions to heart. Thanks! In the photo it's hard to tell the size of the little bird, or the tail?

M-L

Tazrandus
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I don't think it is a reed-warbler, beak is the wrong shape. Robins seem to suit the shape but if it's female should show slight colouration of the male. I think it ought to be a female red-capped robin as it's lacking the usual white spot above it's beak if it were to be a female robin.
Arrgh LBBs, but Kimbolina's right - such a sweet looking bird :)

Taz

Wampy
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Perhaps some more information might help. I managed to get a photo of this bird when I surprised a reed warbler and it flew from the reeds, this one sat upon the reed in the photo and stayed there long enough for me to take its picture, uncharacteristic for a warbler.

It was the size of a robin, but my first impressions led me to believe it was an immature reed-warbler, but after examining the photo I wasn't too sure. The colouring matches a reed-warbler except for the white under the wings and a lack of prominent crown feathers. The beak is the right colour for a reed-warbler but as pointed out, the wrong shape.

If I had to make a decision, I would have to say it was an immature reed-warbler. Hopefully someone will know for sure.

Tazrandus
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Congratulations Wampy, you are the first birder to have spotted a "clamorous reed-robin".
Durhurhurhur.
In all seriousness, I'm stumped with this one. Hope someone can figure this one out.
Superb photo by the way.

Taz

Owen1
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i saw a reed warbler today and got photos. ill attach them when i upload them on my computer

Cheers, Owen.

Wampy
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thanks Owen1

Wollemi
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I am really new to this id of birds things, especially little birds... however it is possibly

a dusky robin (supposed to be in Tassie)
or
female blue and white flycatcher (yeah I know wrong country and wrong part of Aus for a lost one but hey it looks so similar!)
or
the reed warbler

Really I am just going by my field guide here.

Wollemi

Tazrandus
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Actually, I think this looks a lot like a Little Shrike Thrush. Just compare it to the photos on google.

Taz

Owen1
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Taz, little shrike thrush don't occur at edithvale or anywhere near. It does looks like one but I think mit could be a young Golden-headed Cisticola because it has right shape bill and is small.

Cheers, Owen.

Ashywolf
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Golden-headed Cisticola was certainly my first impression. I see them at Edithvale quite a lot.

Ashywolf
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Then again Cisticolas have pale legs. Unstreaked head and eyebrow line/supercillium among other things point to Aus Reed-warbler.

I'm typing all this hurriedly as my PC is running out of battery.

cooee
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Im not the best person to ask but my first impression was a reed- warbler. If not then I would have said tawny grass-bird. However, all the evidence seems to say gold-headed cisticol so that would be the best option.

Ashywolf
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Did you hear it call? Cisticolas have a very distinctive "buzz". Theres a recording at the bottom of this page:
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/species/golden-headed-cisticola-cisticola-exilis

Also it would be pretty late for a Reed-warbler. They don't often overwinter, and counting the cold conditions recently I think it more unlikely.

raysimula
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I am ALMOST certain that this is a young Clamorous-reed-warbler. Ray

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