This is sort of a publish from anyone with a malfunctioning – or at the least frivolously used – time machine. I visited Tengchong in late 2020 and wrote about it – however I additionally went there earlier, in 2017, and this publish reveals some pictures I took throughout that journey, together with the same old feedback that appear to be rather more about ridiculing my fellow people (particularly ornithologists and the like) than offering helpful data on birds.
For instance, a researcher and presumed ornithologist set out with two hypotheses associated to the Ashy Drongo (and one other drongo species) and wrote a paper about it. Sadly, the Ashy Drongos didn’t precisely do what he predicted that they’d do – mob potential predators extra steadily in the course of the breeding season and mob the extra harmful predator (on this case, the Black Eagle) extra intensely. Thankfully, in science, there’s typically a option to flip a defeat right into a victory – on this case through the writer simply developing with a brand new speculation, “if black eagles use the frequency or depth of mobbing as a clue to find nests, an absence of seasonal distinction in mobbing conduct by drongos could also be an evolutionary adaptive technique.” Properly phrased, too – who would need to argue with an “evolutionary adaptive technique”? Effectively, perhaps some hardcore creationists, I suppose. For them, God most likely was the one instructing the drongos to mob one species however not the opposite.
“Regardless of the damned drongo does, I’m positive there’s a paper in it” (ornithologist’s motto)
I do know. Why present pictures of species as boring as this Ashy-throated Warbler? To fake I’m an actual knowledgeable birder who truly cares for these poor excuses for winged creatures? I’ll depart that to the skilled chook guides. who you might be. Both you might be solely in it for the cash, or you might be actually bizarre.
I can’t inform whether or not the Black Bulbuls proven under are male or feminine – which for as soon as isn’t an indication of my restricted expertise as a birder however as a result of each sexes certainly look alike to people. Nevertheless, a life bulbul may have the ability to inform the intercourse (although not from the pictures) – apparently, there are sex differences in the UV light range, which birds can see whereas we can’t. Helps birds to keep away from flirting with species mates they don’t have any sexual curiosity in.
Oh, and if you wish to impress somebody or speak to an ornithologist about it, be certain to consult with it as sexual dichromatism. They may love you for it, I promise.
The Latin identify of the Black-headed Greenfinch is Chloris ambigua. Chloris means inexperienced but in addition has a barely extra attention-grabbing backstory, in response to the HBW:
“In Gr. fable. Chloris was one of many daughters of Pierus, who, having did not finest the Muses in a singing contest, was reworked right into a finch.” I ponder if the principles of the European Music Contest may be tailored, with the worst performers being became birds or perhaps turtles.
If you don’t like that rationalization, the HBW has one other one:
“khloros inexperienced (cf. Gr. fable. Meliboea, a daughter of Niobe and Amphion, who was so traumatized by the slaughter of her siblings by a vengeful Apollo that she turned pale and altered her identify to Chloris, the pale one)”
I feel it is vitally good of the HBW to provide you some decisions on this matter.
The ambigua half, nonetheless, appears to come back from the truth that the individual initially describing this chook was undecided whether or not this was truly a brand new species or only a barely different-looking Gray-capped Greenfinch (ambigua means uncertain or unsure).
Whereas I’d not need to encourage anybody to place birds in cages, it’s attention-grabbing to read about the expertise of anyone breeding Black-headed Sibias in captivity.
If you don’t want to be put in a cage, it presumably helps to be a bit aggressive. The writer of the paper talked about ultimately decides to not proceed breeding this chook as he thinks that when breeding it’s too aggressive for group aviaries.
Feminine readers could desire the Black-throated Bushtit to the Silver-throated Bushtit. The male Black-throated Bushtits take part in incubation, the considerably extra macho Silver-throated Bushtits don’t (source), presumably spending extra time in pubs whereas leaving the fairly boring job of sitting on a bunch of eggs for days on finish to their feminine companions.
Admittedly, it’s not an excellent analogy, however pop songs typically have a component that is named the center eighths – a component that’s completely different from the remainder of the tune, typically instrumental, and (I believe) typically the half permitting the singer or another musician somewhat break (although I’m positive actual consultants on this space will dispute this). The equal on this weblog publish is a piece with out phrases that includes the Blue-fronted Redstart …
… Black-breasted Thrush …
… Blue-winged Minla …
… Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher …
… and the Small Niltava.
June 2022 was the primary time I ever noticed the Brown-breasted Bulbul in Shanghai – a primary for Shanghai at the least on eBird. After all, right here in Tengchong, it’s a quite common chook.
The Brown-winged Parrotbill appears to be like fairly much like the Vinous-throated Parrotbill frequent in Shanghai. Advertising individuals would most likely additionally say that it shares the identical USP, cuteness. For those who have no idea what USP means, you might be positively not a advertising individual your self.
I don’t essentially need to come over because the cranky older man I most likely am, however papers such because the one titled “Pleistocene glaciation explains the disjunct distribution of the Chestnut-vented Nuthatch (Aves, Sittidae)” do make me marvel how related some analysis is. Effectively, the 6 authors acquired a grant for his or her work, the paper has been cited 9 instances already, and the summary ends with the thrilling final sentence, “We suggest that the Wuyi disjunction of the Chestnut-vented Nuthatch was most probably attributable to current vary enlargement from south-western China in the course of the glacial interval, adopted by postglacial vary retraction”.
“Postglacial vary retraction – is that one thing like postpartum despair?”
From Memphis, Tennessee on to Tengchong, Yunnan: The Crested Finchbill. However completely different from Elvis at the least in his later, extra paranoid and reclusive part, the chook is described as “daring and approachable” by eBird.
The Crimson-breasted Woodpecker (if certainly that is one) is one in all many chook species about which not that a lot is thought. This can be a male – the females don’t like purple on their crown and have it dyed black, they assume it makes them look youthful.
In Indonesia, Gray-capped Pygmy Woodpeckers could be ordered on-line – gives are posted in closed Fb teams. In 2015, the value for this chook was 35 USD (source). So, there are some optimistic features of Fb being blocked in China.
The purple bit on the crown signifies that this can be a male. Undecided whether or not these are roughly costly than females.
The Blue Whistling Thrush can also be out there on-line in Indonesia (see supply above), however no value is indicated – the paper remarks that “Not all posts included a value as a result of some sellers desire to public sale birds”.
Whereas we birders most likely largely decide birds by their very own deserves (no matter these could also be), different individuals produce other standards. In a paper, completely different chook species had been evaluated for spreading the seed of an endangered Chinese language yew. It appears the Mountain Bulbul is doing this higher than the Mild-vented Bulbul. After all, if the yew is positioned in locations with few Mountain Bulbuls (on this case, a botanical backyard), that is unhealthy information for the yew.
As I’ve most likely talked about earlier than, Ms. Gould’s Sunbird is known as after Elizabeth Gould, who was the spouse of John Gould however (most likely extra importantly as a justification to call a chook after her) the principal artist offering the drawings within the books of the Gould husband and spouse group.
There truly is a fictional autobiography of her written by Melissa Ashley – most likely a bit too esoteric for me to learn, however perhaps you have an interest. Donna, one thing so that you can evaluate, perhaps?
Components of her real-life biography present an reason earlier than round 1880, the life expectancy of male people was not decrease than for females and will even have been increased. Elizabeth died 4 days after the start of her eighth little one, when she was 37.
(I do know I’m veering a bit off the observe right here, however this can be a quote from a paper on mortality traits of women and men over the ages – revealed within the delightfully titled “Transactions of Society of Actuaries” (that is most likely about calculating premiums for all times insurances, not about lengthening life spans): “Traditionally, the male tended to outlive longer than the feminine, a scenario that seems to have persevered from the origins of our species till nicely into the trendy period. The good dangers related to childbirth since antiquity started to be overcome on account of medical advances on a broad entrance, enhancements in midwifery, and rising social standing of girls normally”)
Nevertheless, I nonetheless discover it a bit counterintuitive to have a chook identify begin with “Ms.” when in that species, the male is a lot extra engaging than the feminine.
For those who like understated magnificence, perhaps the Gray Bushchat is your chook of selection.
If as a substitute, you like one thing flashier, higher go together with the Orange-bellied Leafbird.
Plumbeous Water Redstarts in Indian Himalayan rivers had been one of many topic species of a paper how they spend their time. For this species, it’s 33% roosting and 41% foraging. I suppose for the trendy workplace employee, roosting is roughly equal to browsing the web and non-work-related issues – even the chances appear to be sort of much like the time price range of the redstart.
Apparently, one other 16% are spent on what the paper describes as”aggression”.
What is that this aggression? The paper solutions that query as nicely.
“We noticed that the plumbeous water-redstart spent a portion of its time defending its territory or microhabitat, particularly driving out White-capped Water Redstarts“.
As a consequence, the White-capped Water Redstarts have a special time price range: 30% roosting, 52% foraging, and 10% “escape” – presumably largely from these bullying Plumbeous Water Redstarts, disgrace on them. Thankfully, most likely most workplace staff spend a decrease share of their work time than that to keep away from bullying coworkers.
The Himalayan Bluetail appears to be like like a deluxe model of the Pink-flanked Bluetail now we have in Shanghai in winter. Or as eBird places it, the excellence is within the “Himalayan’s brighter blue eyebrow and brighter, deeper blue upperparts within the male”.
The Latin species identify of the Verditer Flycatcher, thalassinos, sounds just like the identify of a Greek restaurant (and certainly it’s, see here – it’s ranked #646 of two,470 Eating places in Athens) but in addition means sea-coloured, or sea-green, suggesting that the one who got here up with that identify had not spent a lot time at an precise ocean.
The Whiskered Yuhina has a pleasant Latin identify – Yuhina flavicollis, or golden-necked Yuhina. That appears to make extra sense than the “whiskered” of the English identify.
Being a Yellow-bellied Fantail appears exhausting, judging from online videos – the chook appears to be very energetic, all the time transferring or at the least glancing round.
Higher simply to observe the chook. One other line from my favourite tune about birding:
“Carpe-ing each Diem’s no achievement, it’s exhausting
For those who want me I’ll be sitting over right here, birdwatching”
(The Burning Hell, “Birdwatching”)
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