Feral Parrots, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria (1 Viewer)

[Barred Wobbler]

A few months ago I became aware of the population of free-flying parrots in this Cumbrian town, when I stopped in a layby to eat my fish and chips and was amazed to see two macaws flying together at tree-top height just across the road from me. I did a bit of research and discovered that they have been present for quite some years as a local feature.

I think that these parrots are one of the Amazon parrot species, but which one? Yellow-naped? Yellow-crested? Something else?

When I was photographing them I thought that 2 and 3 were the same bird. Now I'm not so sure. There were at least three birds present, but the twigs and branches often obscured them (and made focus a nightmare).

 

[THE_FERN]

Suggest blue-fronted from Southern cone area based on: blue front (!), Red wing bend, yellow on head. If so, probably ssp aestiva

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

Suggest blue-fronted from Southern cone area based on: blue front (!), Red wing bend, yellow on head. If so, probably ssp aestiva

Agree on blue fronted....

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Thanks folks.

 

[Muso]

Quote: The_Fern - Suggest blue-fronted from Southern cone area based on: blue front (!)

One of the reasons I almost give up on this. You are looking at a completely and undoubtably green front and say it's blue, as if that's a duh moment...do you really see that front as blue? Or is it just me...?

 

[aeshna5]

Quote: The_Fern - Suggest blue-fronted from Southern cone area based on: blue front (!)

One of the reasons I almost give up on this. You are looking at a completely and undoubtably green front and say it's blue, as if that's a duh moment...do you really see that front as blue? Or is it just me...?

I wouldn't call it green. To my eyes a turquoise blue-quite different to the green of the bulk of its plumage.

 

[Butty]

a completely and undoubtably green front

'Front' = forehead. Yes? Which is (undoubtedly) blue-green/turquoise in pics 2-3.

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

Would be interesting to compare how much color vision is shaped by individual experience- I also see turquoise-blue color on the forehead, but some of my friends would still call that clearly green, but with a blue hue.

All "borderline" colors (don´t know if that expression is understandable) seem to be difficult in this respect. For example is a Eurasian Blackbirds beak yellow or orange for you?; or when does blue become violet ?

 

[THE_FERN]

Would be interesting to compare how much color vision is shaped by individual experience

We'll it's known to be shaped by linguistics, I believe. I have no idea what colour celeste is*, and cultures without names for colours cannot (or don't) distinguish them. According to some this includes orange in English before the introduction of that word (although see e.g. thread on robins and red/scarlet).

(Not trying to be rude, but if OP sees head as completely green, worth them checking for blue-green colour blindness, a rarer phenomenon than red-green)

[Edit: * it's most certainly not "sky blue" as often translated]

 

[MJB]

My father, who was a navigator (Observer, actually , before the Navigator aircrew badge was approved) in the RAF in WWII, was grounded when a 1943 medical decided he couldn't distinguish pale green from pale blue at night.
MJB

Not trying to be rude, but if OP sees head as completely green, worth them checking for blue-green colour blindness, a rarer phenomenon than red-green.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

The forehead ('front', as in 'white-fronted goose'), looked to me distinctly blue, but looking at photos online of the various Amazon parrots I wasn't sure as to what extent that blue crossed into other (sub) species, but the blue was less obvious that the yellow, which is why I came here for clarification.

Incidentally, whenever I've taken colour tests, I've found that I have good colour vision.

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

Quote: The_Fern - Suggest blue-fronted from Southern cone area based on: blue front (!)

One of the reasons I almost give up on this. You are looking at a completely and undoubtably green front and say it's blue, as if that's a duh moment...do you really see that front as blue? Or is it just me...?

I suspect the problem is not in the colour perception as much as what is meant by ‘front.’

Usually when front is included in a Birds name it refers to the forehead area, rather than the front of the body. (I expect someone will come up with a whole bunch of exceptions now 😄)

 

[Muso]

'Front' = forehead. Yes? Which is (undoubtedly) blue-green/turquoise in pics 2-3.

Sorry, just me misusing an established term which I wasn't aware of. By front, I was meaning from the chest area down. Apologies for confusion.

 

[Muso]

I suspect the problem is not in the colour perception as much as what is meant by ‘front.’

Usually when front is included in a Birds name it refers to the forehead area, rather than the front of the body. (I expect someone will come up with a whole bunch of exceptions now 😄)

Spot on BH - didn't see your post as I posted mine...

 

[njlarsen]

I think we should not underestimate the influence of different devices. The first time I looked at this one was on a different device where the blue looked stronger than on this one - the most clearly blue impression is seen on the third image where the color to me (and on my current device) is best described as "greenish with a blue wash".

Niels

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I think we should not underestimate the influence of different devices. The first time I looked at this one was on a different device where the blue looked stronger than on this one - the most clearly blue impression is seen on the third image where the color to me (and on my current device) is best described as "greenish with a blue wash".

Niels

I use SpyderPro to calibrate my monitor for that very reason. I bought it when I realised that my previous (and rather expensive) monitor had developed a distinct red colour cast over the years of use. I viewed some of my photos on another monitor and was shocked at how far the colour had drifted. I re-calibrate every couple of months now to keep on top of it.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Sorry, just me misusing an established term which I wasn't aware of. By front, I was meaning from the chest area down. Apologies for confusion.

The term 'breast' would have been used perhaps in conjunction with 'underparts's in that case.

 

[Muso]

The term 'breast' would have been used perhaps in conjunction with 'underparts's in that case.

But I wouldn't have known that Andy (although I've now learned another little bit). My lack of knowledge in the terminology led me to use "front" in the more general way, eg the front of a building. Also apologies to The_Fern if my first post seemed like an attack - it was more knee-jerk despair at my own ignorance. After years on BF and getting lots of help from members, I thought my ID skills were getting a bit better, then something like this comes along and puts me in my place...

Just out of interest, given the really interesting discussions about colour perception, what colour is the breast? In a slightly different direction, years ago I had noticed my hearing was getting worse and went for a test. The result said my hearing loss was congenital. I had always assumed that everyone heard the world the way I did, but apparently not the case. Wonder if colour perception is the same?

 

[Butty]

something like this comes along and puts me in my place

Don't despair. It's a peculiar and anachronistic term which is only used in birds' names and never (or shouldn't ever be) used in ID descriptions to mean 'forehead' - though it is the case that one might routinely refer casually to a bird being (say) 'all green down the front', meaning (roughly) throat+chest+upper belly.
And of course no part of a bird's name should ever be relied on as having relevance to its ID.

what colour is the breast?

Green; yellow-green at the sides.

 

[njlarsen]

But I wouldn't have known that Andy (although I've now learned another little bit). My lack of knowledge in the terminology led me to use "front" in the more general way, eg the front of a building. Also apologies to The_Fern if my first post seemed like an attack - it was more knee-jerk despair at my own ignorance. After years on BF and getting lots of help from members, I thought my ID skills were getting a bit better, then something like this comes along and puts me in my place...

Just out of interest, given the really interesting discussions about colour perception, what colour is the breast? In a slightly different direction, years ago I had noticed my hearing was getting worse and went for a test. The result said my hearing loss was congenital. I had always assumed that everyone heard the world the way I did, but apparently not the case. Wonder if colour perception is the same?

Check this link Do we all see the same colours?
Niels