Ficedula Flycatcher sp, Romania, 29th August (1 Viewer)

[aythya_hybrid]

Dear all. Just back from a superb birding trip to Romania with Sakertours. Lots of good birds but one conundrum was this Ficedula flycatcher sp in the Danube Delta. The group reached an ID conclusion at the time, but having done some more reading I am now wavering, so would be very interested to hear other peoples' thoughts. Rest assured I am under no illusions as to the potential obstacles to reaching a firm conclusion, but the attached pics show all the salient features, I think.

 

[Muppit17]

Dear all. Just back from a superb birding trip to Romania with Sakertours. Lots of good birds but one conundrum was this Ficedula flycatcher sp in the Danube Delta. The group reached an ID conclusion at the time, but having done some more reading I am now wavering, so would be very interested to hear other peoples' thoughts. Rest assured I am under no illusions as to the potential obstacles to reaching a firm conclusion, but the attached pics show all the salient features, I think.

I have a collection of photos of ficedula flys in autumn that I don't think I will ever put a name to, so I am under no allusion of how difficult this.

It is also interesting how the colour is very different in Photo 2 compared with 1 & 3.

The options are obviously Collared, Semi-collared and Pied. On range Collared is the local breeder (relatively common in the delta) and Pied passes through Generally SC breeds to the south and would require reverse migration to occur.

The rump seems to be colder in colour and the wing panel is large. Both IMHO suggest Collared. The white tail edge is OK if this is a female or juvenile.

I have to admit that I am confused by the scapular markings - is this typical of residual juvenile feathering?

All in all - I would be very careful to call this as anything other than Collared.

 

[aythya_hybrid]

I have a collection of photos of ficedula flys in autumn that I don't think I will ever put a name to, so I am under no allusion of how difficult this.

It is also interesting how the colour is very different in Photo 2 compared with 1 & 3.

The options are obviously Collared, Semi-collared and Pied. On range Collared is the local breeder (relatively common in the delta) and Pied passes through Generally SC breeds to the south and would require reverse migration to occur.

The rump seems to be colder in colour and the wing panel is large. Both IMHO suggest Collared. The white tail edge is OK if this is a female or juvenile.

I have to admit that I am confused by the scapular markings - is this typical of residual juvenile feathering?

All in all - I would be very careful to call this as anything other than Collared.

Thank you for a very helpful response. By way of context: we saw the bird and first impressions were split between Pied and Collared. I noticed the white tips to the median coverts so suggested Semi-collared. I thought at the time - but now realise I was mistaken - that the median covert bar was definitive for SC (apparently Collared and sometimes Pied can show it as well). Someone else in the group thought the tail pattern was good for SC, so we erred towards SC in the field at the time. But the extent of white on the tertials plus - as you say - the greyish rump I think are pointing towards Collared, which in any case is the most likely of the three given time and location. We also assumed that the scapular markings are residual juvenile feathers.