is this a young bowerbird

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cecilia
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is this a young bowerbird

This little bird flew into one of our windows a couple of years ago.

I was wondering if it was a young bowerbird? We do have plenty of them around the place.

I placed him under a bush and he sat there for a couple of hours and then disappeared (collected by his parents, I like to think).
cecilia
www.duckpond-design.com.au/theduckpond

cecilia
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I know we have Golden Whistlers in the forest up at Toolangi, but we are much lower here.

It was the iridescent green colour of the bird that made me first notice it.

When I first tool the photo I sent it to a friend and a friend of hers (who is a keen birdo) suggested it could be a 'something' cuckoo. I think the name began with 'H', but I can't remember exactly.

The colour was rather like the feathers of the bronze wing pigeon.

cecilia
www.duckpond-design.com.au/theduckpond

Holly
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Horsfields Bronze Cuckoo?

This guy doesn't have the barring though.

cecilia
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Yes - Horsfields Bronze Cuckoo was the suggestion.

This one was very young - looked as if it had only just left the nest.

I thought there were slight bar markings on the side of the chest.

here's a closer look

cecilia
www.duckpond-design.com.au

ed
ed's picture

Pizzey's feild guide shows a imm HBC with very little barring, but the lack of features around the eye on the bird above is not of the illistration in Pizzey. But I think i'd go for a Bronze cuckoo maybe a Rufous, again see Pizzey.
The Bronze cuckoos are always fun to ID, even the adults can be difficult.

I'll try a link to a picture of a HBC juv if it does not work look at flpa-images.co.uk

[url]http://www.flpa-images.co.uk/bin/flpa.dll/go?a=disp&pt=1&t=us\sr-loadersearch.html&si=00E945BF80AB4F67ADBE87C0975199&usp=0&_spb=0&_spe=0&_spw=0&mw=2&_collection=&se=8&_filterori=&searchtext=Basalis%20and%20Chrysococcyx%20and%20Cuckoo%20and%20Cuckoos%20and%20Horsefield%20and%20Immature%20and%20Immatures%20and%20Juveniles[/url]

Ed

Ed Townsville NQ

ed
ed's picture

Good call Denis, still little unsure given that green but you've 98% convinced me.

Ed

Ed Townsville NQ

ed
ed's picture

Cecilia

Any other pictures of this bird?

Ed

Ed Townsville NQ

cecilia
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I only took three photos and they're all pretty much the same, although I've made these photos narrower so hopefully the tail will be complete:


Hope these are some help
cecilia
www.duckpond-design.com.au/theduckpond

ed
ed's picture

Cecilia, Denis

We have come the long way round, but I think these pictures show we are back to Bronze cuckoo, I'm going for a juv/imm Shining of the race Plagosus. The discription in Graham Pizzeys field guide, the photo on the flower pot on the COG site, although I suspect this bird is close to adult plumage,and this illustration from the WA museum site all seem to be indicating Shining.

http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/faunabase/_images/Chrysococcyx_lucidus.jpg

Ed Townsville NQ

ed
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Just had a quick look at the rest of the WA museum site and it looks like a handy resource.

Ed Townsville NQ

cecilia
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I realise now that my photo is not very helpful with such a bad angle of the beak.

I shall bear this in mind for the next time. I was probably in such a hurry to grab a couple of photos before putting it out of the way of the ever watchful currawongs!

Thankyou for your extremely helpful and interesting input.

I have MUCH to learn.

cecilia
www.duckpond-design.com.au/theduckpond

ed
ed's picture

Definatly learning all the time, I think I've learnt more about bronze cuckoo this week than ever before. Don't feel to embarrassed, the beak and head still don't look 100% right and you almost had me convinced.

Have a look at the thread 'type of parrot' and 'a test' and see what you think.

Ed Townsville NQ

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