Richard Klim
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Sphenocichla roberti
But Sphenocichla roberti has been split:
Surely your suggested name 'Hume's Wren Babbler' would be more appropriate for S. humei (sensu stricto)?
Richard
Great stuff, Shi Jin.Which brings me on to the subject of the bird I saw a few yard’s from the Walden’s Barwing: I had never seen one before, although I had seen reports of several being seen in the area over the years. As soon as I put my binoculars on it, I had one of those moments that makes birding so sweet – seeing something incredible, not just incredible in the sense that you have not seen something before, but in the sense that you have never seen anything like it before. I am referring to the binocular-filling view of Hume’s Wren Babbler (Sphenocichla humei). In this part of the world, the sub-species is roberti which is, I understand, even more impressive than the nominate humei which occurs from Sikkim to northern Assam (north of the Brahmaputra, according to Clements).
So, it’s not hard to work out what I would call it the event of a split. Anyhow, after so many boring brown jobs named after him (not forgetting that Mrs Hume got an amazing pheasant), Mr Hume deserves something a bit special. And Hume’s Wren Babbler is that and a lot more. So special, in fact, I actually forgot to put my binoculars down and pick up my camera!
But Sphenocichla roberti has been split:
- IOC, Rasmussen & Anderton 2005 and TIF use the name 'Cachar Wedge-billed Babbler'
- BLI and Collar & Robson 2007 (HBW12) use 'Chevron-breasted Babbler'
- China OS uses 'Eastern Wedge-billed Wren Babbler'
Surely your suggested name 'Hume's Wren Babbler' would be more appropriate for S. humei (sensu stricto)?
Richard
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