This is sort of a submit from any person with a malfunctioning – or no less than frivolously used – time machine. I visited Tengchong in late 2020 and wrote about it – however I additionally went there earlier, in 2017, and this submit reveals some pictures I took throughout that journey, together with the standard feedback that appear to be way more about ridiculing my fellow people (particularly ornithologists and the like) than offering helpful info 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 often through the breeding season and mob the extra harmful predator (on this case, the Black Eagle) extra intensely. Thankfully, in science, there may be typically a strategy to flip a defeat right into a victory – on this case by way of the writer simply arising with a brand new speculation, “if black eagles use the frequency or depth of mobbing as a clue to find nests, a scarcity of seasonal distinction in mobbing habits by drongos could also be an evolutionary adaptive technique.” Properly phrased, too – who would need to argue with an “evolutionary adaptive technique”? Properly, perhaps some hardcore creationists, I assume. 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 certain 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 professional birder who really cares for these poor excuses for winged creatures? I’ll go away that to the skilled hen guides. You recognize who you might be. Both you might be solely in it for the cash, or you might be really bizarre.
I can not 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 be capable of 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 not. 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 discuss to an ornithologist about it, be certain to seek advice from it as sexual dichromatism. They may love you for it, I promise.
The Latin title of the Black-headed Greenfinch is Chloris ambigua. Chloris means inexperienced but additionally 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 didn’t finest the Muses in a singing contest, was remodeled right into a finch.” I’m wondering if the principles of the European Music Contest may be tailored, with the worst performers being was 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 adjusted her title to Chloris, the pale one)”
I believe it is vitally good of the HBW to provide you some decisions on this matter.
The ambigua half, nevertheless, appears to come back from the truth that the individual initially describing this hen was undecided whether or not this was really a brand new species or only a barely different-looking Gray-capped Greenfinch (ambigua means uncertain or unsure).
Whereas I might not need to encourage anybody to place birds in cages, it’s attention-grabbing to read about the expertise of any person breeding Black-headed Sibias in captivity.
If you do not need to be put in a cage, it presumably helps to be a bit aggressive. The writer of the paper talked about finally decides to not proceed breeding this hen as he thinks that when breeding it’s too aggressive for neighborhood 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 isn’t an excellent analogy, however pop songs typically have a component that is known as the center eighths – a component that’s totally different from the remainder of the track, typically instrumental, and (I believe) typically the half permitting the singer or another musician a little bit break (although I’m certain actual consultants on this space will dispute this). The equal on this weblog submit 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 no less than on eBird. In fact, right here in Tengchong, it’s a quite common hen.
The Brown-winged Parrotbill appears to be like fairly just like the Vinous-throated Parrotbill frequent in Shanghai. Advertising and marketing folks would most likely additionally say that it shares the identical USP, cuteness. In case you have no idea what USP means, you might be positively not a advertising and marketing 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. Properly, the 6 authors obtained 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 almost definitely on account of current vary growth from south-western China through the glacial interval, adopted by postglacial vary retraction”.
“Postglacial vary retraction – is that one thing like postpartum melancholy?”
From Memphis, Tennessee on to Tengchong, Yunnan: The Crested Finchbill. However totally different from Elvis no less than in his later, extra paranoid and reclusive part, the hen is described as “daring and approachable” by eBird.
The Crimson-breasted Woodpecker (if certainly that is one) is one in every of many hen species about which not that a lot is thought. It is a male – the females don’t like crimson on their crown and have it dyed black, they assume it makes them look youthful.
In Indonesia, Gray-capped Pygmy Woodpeckers will be ordered on-line – provides are posted in closed Fb teams. In 2015, the worth for this hen was 35 USD (source). So, there are some optimistic elements of Fb being blocked in China.
The crimson bit on the crown signifies that it is a male. Undecided whether or not these are kind of costly than females.
The Blue Whistling Thrush can 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 folks produce other standards. In a paper, totally different hen species have been evaluated for spreading the seed of an endangered Chinese language yew. It appears the Mountain Bulbul is doing this higher than the Gentle-vented Bulbul. In fact, if the yew is situated in locations with few Mountain Bulbuls (on this case, a botanical backyard), that is dangerous information for the yew.
As I’ve most likely talked about earlier than, Ms. Gould’s Sunbird is called after Elizabeth Gould, who was the spouse of John Gould however (most likely extra importantly as a justification to call a hen after her) the principal artist offering the drawings within the books of the Gould husband and spouse crew.
There really 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 assessment, perhaps?
Elements of her real-life biography present an reason why earlier than round 1880, the life expectancy of male people was not decrease than for females and will even have been greater. Elizabeth died 4 days after the delivery of her eighth little one, when she was 37.
(I do know I’m veering a bit off the observe right here, however it is a quote from a paper on mortality tendencies of women and men over the ages – printed 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 endured from the origins of our species till properly into the fashionable period. The good dangers related to childbirth since antiquity started to be overcome because of medical advances on a broad entrance, enhancements in midwifery, and rising social standing of girls usually”)
Nevertheless, I nonetheless discover it a bit counterintuitive to have a hen title begin with “Ms.” when in that species, the male is a lot extra enticing than the feminine.
In case you like understated magnificence, perhaps the Gray Bushchat is your hen of selection.
If as an alternative, you favor one thing flashier, higher go along with the Orange-bellied Leafbird.
Plumbeous Water Redstarts in Indian Himalayan rivers have been one of many topic species of a paper taking a look at how they spend their time. For this species, it’s 33% roosting and 41% foraging. I assume for the fashionable workplace employee, roosting is roughly equal to browsing the web and taking a look at non-work-related issues – even the odds appear to be form of just like the time funds of the redstart.
Curiously, one other 16% are spent on what the paper describes as”aggression”.
What is that this aggression? The paper solutions that query as properly.
“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 distinct time funds: 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 proportion 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 we have now 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 title of the Verditer Flycatcher, thalassinos, sounds just like the title of a Greek restaurant (and certainly it’s, see here – it’s ranked #646 of two,470 Eating places in Athens) but additionally means sea-coloured, or sea-green, suggesting that the one that got here up with that title had not spent a lot time at an precise ocean.
The Whiskered Yuhina has a pleasant Latin title – Yuhina flavicollis, or golden-necked Yuhina. That appears to make extra sense than the “whiskered” of the English title.
Being a Yellow-bellied Fantail appears exhausting, judging from online videos – the hen appears to be very lively, all the time shifting or no less than glancing round.
Higher simply to observe the hen. One other line from my favourite track about birding:
“Carpe-ing each Diem’s no achievement, it’s exhausting
In case you want me I’ll be sitting over right here, birdwatching”
(The Burning Hell, “Birdwatching”)
Source link