Looks to me like a Francolin, perhaps Erckels Francolin?
Birding!
- Thread starter jjohnwm
- Start date
I believe you have that correct, sir!
It's always helpful to have an "ornothologist" on hand when discussing birds...
I'd love to check out Hawaii someday, even if it is practically infested with so many introduced and invasive species. Normally when I travel, I study up ahead of time so that I have a reasonably good idea of what I can expect to see and how to identify the common species. I think Hawaii would be a tough spot to visit without a lot of preparation. There are birds there from all over the world!
I've got a collection of bird field guides to most areas of the world, something like 50 or so, not counting the North American standard guides. My favourite, though woefully out of date, is the Caribbean guide by...James Bond!
Hawaii is a glaring exception; I don't own a single field guide to its birds.Right now, though, I'm struggling to process and accept the idea that
The Masked Shadow
and I share a common interest... 
funnilly enough I’m going to Hawaii this summer, my second time going. Tagging along with friends who have a house there. Hoping to get 100 birds at least (adding onto my list of already 68), as we are going to the big island but also Maui en route to Lana’i, if plans fall into place, which I am super excited about!
That sounds like a terrific trip. I'm curious; out of your Hawaii list of 68 birds now, how many are natives and how many introduced?
Hm, I’d say a fair amount were introduced. The most prominent bird there is fs the Jungle Fowel (chicken) (on Oahu, I don’t remember if they’re on other islands, this trip was a long time ago). I think Hill Myna (or common Myna, im not sure) was also a ridiculously common bird. When I went the first time I went to Oahu and the big island, and for the most part I stayed away from urban areas which had me away from a good amount of introduced. However, I’d say I still managed 15-20, maybe more introduced species.
But this shouldn’t discourage you, while I was in Hawaii I saw some really cool birds, Nēnē (hawaiian goose), ‘io (hawaiian hawk), and the i’iwi, all very unique beautiful natives. If you do go there, I found the nēnē in their natural habitat (a golf course first and then lava flats), and the ‘io in I believe Pu’u ‘Ō’ō trail
But this shouldn’t discourage you, while I was in Hawaii I saw some really cool birds, Nēnē (hawaiian goose), ‘io (hawaiian hawk), and the i’iwi, all very unique beautiful natives. If you do go there, I found the nēnē in their natural habitat (a golf course first and then lava flats), and the ‘io in I believe Pu’u ‘Ō’ō trail
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That trogan looks like a stage prop made by a first year. I love it!
How are the white eyes affecting the local fauna/flora?
A bird that should be enjoyed more for their smarts but I just cannot due to their heavily invasive nature are Indian Mynahs. I have yet to visit a place that doesn't freeze over during winter that doesn't have them flying rampant.
This ^ cracked me up...
It's always disappointing when a rarity, especially one you really, really want or "need" for your list...shows up in places like that. My first White Pelican was seen when I lived in S.Ontario, where they normally aren't found. One was announced on the Rare Bird Hotline as being seen approximately 100km away, with few details given...back then the Hotline was just a phone number that played a recorded message when called, and the message was updated...whenever a special bird was found, or whenever the guy felt like updating.
We drove to the stated location, a well-known waterfront hotspot for fishing, boating, etc. and quickly found the Pelican. It was out in the parking lot, waddling around like a feathered Hari Krishna at an airport and panhandling frenchfries from one group of squealing kids after another. What a let-down. I now live in the heart of the White Pelican breeding range, and get to see them in large numbers, all summer, often circling over my house. They're magnificent...but every time I see one I remember that first sad pathetic specimen in the parking lot...
If it nets me a "lifer", I will still drive a fair bit for a new bird, but I keep my hopes in check. Too many times I have driven a few hours, alone or with one or two other nutcases, only to find that the "rarity" being trumpeted is just a case of mistaken identity by some overzealous new birder. And the older I get, the less inclined I am to chase after this type of "wild goose".
Yesterday, a bird was reported from a location that's only a half-hour or so from my house. Big news! And this is what I would categorize as a "mega-rarity", a Eurasian bird which occasionally ventures across the Bering Sea from Siberia to the coast of Alaska. Up there, it's still news...but here in mid-continent, it's Big News! And the report comes from an unimpeachable source, an established and experienced lifetime birder in whom I have complete trust. Hmmm....
We're heading into the main migration season, birds coming and going daily, appearing for a day and then just as quickly moving on and being replaced by others. I suspect this particular rarity is now hundreds of kilometers away from here...but I'm still heading down there after I finish my coffee, just in case...
I’m not quite sure, as they have a small population, but no doubt growing. My guess is they’re discouraging natives from nesting near them, as I believe they are territorial. Other than that, i’m not sure. The population isn’t enough to be featured in any bird books of the San Diego area yet, or any that I know of, so they aren’t a huge problem, though it is relatively common to see them - not a treat.
One of the birds I would absolutely LOVE to see would be the Steller’s Sea Eagle, which are native to coastal east Russia, Berring Strait, and as far south as Japan. Despite these ranges, there is one vagabond eagle who is known throughout the US. First appeared in Denali NP, Alaska, and next was seen in Texas, I believe. Last I checked it was coastal Newfoundland and Massachusetts, but idk where it is now. It shows up from time to time in completely random areas, hundreds of kilometers away from where it last was.
Good luck on your vagrant!
Totally agree, I have seen White Pelicans in Arizona and locally, and they always seem to be pandering for food. Brown Pelicans are the abundant year rounders here. Despite pandering for food on the mainland, proving a good strategy as there are so many, the only breeding ground in California is Anacapa Island and Santa Barbara Island, if memory serves. I think most fly down to Mexico to nest, but for some reason Anacapa Island and Santa Barbara Island are breeding colonies of Brown Pelicans - just a fin little fact!
I completely agree. The starling family, which Mynas are a part of, has some crazy vocal range, too. Not the myna, but here's a video of the vocal range of a captive European Starling.
The Crow family also has a crazy vocal range. When I am out with my mom checking nests, Ravens are often curious of us. There are hundreds of Ravens there because the site is next to a rock quarry, which for some reason the Ravens like. Ravens will hop about at our car while we are away, checking it out. They also mimic the noises of the quarry, and when we come back to the car they'll look at us and make weird noises to get our attention. Something else cool about Ravens is they have different 'dialects' depending on where they live in the world, accents if you will, which isn't uncommon in the world of birds but cool nonetheless.
