Tan Phu Forest is about 2 hours North of Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, and the situation of some fowl blinds arrange by a Vietnamese who was a park ranger at Cat Tien Nationwide Park and doubtless discovered concerning the financial potential of attracting international birders. I assume that it’s simpler to arrange blinds right here than within the nationwide park – and most of the star birds are fairly related.
To be honest, this put up is not going to deal with them – there shall be a separate put up on pittas of Southern Vietnam and one other on kingfishers. My manner of compacting extra weblog posts out of my birding journeys.
Listed below are a couple of pictures from the world. Type of an harmless model of tropical China, however I assume that could be a slightly naive view …
Most birders coming right here presumably wouldn’t have babblers as their most important targets, despite the fact that there are fairly a couple of species right here, and a few of them are fairly engaging as properly.
Take the Scaly-crowned Babbler, with its chestnut crown. eBird appears to not have seen this a part of the fowl, calling it a “small, boring, brownish babbler”.
The species identify of cinereum shouldn’t be very convincing both – it means ash-colored and thus additionally ignores the primary function of the fowl.
As is commonly the case, I marvel on the bizarre German names of species – on this case, “Schuppenstirn-Zweigdrossling“.
Listening to birds in a loud surroundings might be troublesome – and the noise usually doesn’t come from people however from nature itself, cicadas being significantly obnoxious. Whereas that is an annoyance for birders, it might have far more severe penalties for the birds themselves. Think about being a single fowl and sending out a lonely-hearts message to potential companions, solely to remain single eternally as your singing is drowned out by the noise of bugs. How do birds take care of this problem? A paper checked out this problem for a number of birds together with the Scaly-crowned Babbler. One can inform the paper could be very latest (March 2024) because it fashionably claims to have utilized machine studying.
Apparently, the birds don’t change their singing relying on the singing of different birds – but when the cicadas fully drown them out, they keep away from co-chorusing with them.
Unusually, eBird appears far more sympathetic to the Buff-breasted Babbler, calling it a “slightly graceful-looking brown babbler” regardless of admitting that its “virtually fully unmarked look distinguishes it from most different babblers in vary”.
Relating to the creative deserves of the Buff-breasted Babbler, the HBW sides with me slightly than with eBird in describing the species as a “featureless smallish babbler”.
A paper describes the breeding of the babbler – nothing fascinating actually, “Egg clutch measurement was within the vary 3–4”, “nestlings hatched virtually concurrently”, “eggs had been incubated by each the males and the females”, “each mother and father invested in intensive parental care”. This leads the authors to conclude “This info can be utilized to assist with conservation planning within the space and elsewhere.” And why not.
Abbot’s Babbler is called after William Louis Abbott (1860 – 1936), an American medical physician, explorer, ornithologist, and subject naturalist who had the nice fortune of receiving a giant inheritance when he was about 26 years outdated and who then promptly and understandably stopped working towards medication (supply).
His CV contains extraordinary entries equivalent to this one for the yr 1894: “went to Madagascar to enlist within the native ‘Hova’ military towards the second French occupation of the island, till native suspicion of foreigners pressured his resignation”.
Once more, eBird shouldn’t be fairly satisfied of the esthetics of this species, calling it a “plain, sandy-brown babbler”.
Regardless of not being overly engaging and thus presumably not having significantly engaging chicks, a considerable variety of pairs of Abbot’s Babbler are double-brooded (supply).
And to keep away from all this effort being wasted, they choose their nesting websites rigorously, selecting areas with the next proportion of foliage cowl and a higher cowl and abundance of rattan vegetation in comparison with random areas in the identical forest (supply).
The Puff-throated Babbler seems to be a bit extra distinct and in addition will get a greater eBird evaluation, being described as a “personable” babbler.
One research checked out whether or not the proximity to a highway makes it extra seemingly {that a} nest will get robbed by the standard suspects (not people, however slightly Northern Pig-tailed Macaque, Inexperienced Cat Snake, Crested Goshawk, and Frequent Inexperienced Magpie). This research included quite a lot of nests of the Puff-throated Babbler.
Surprisingly, the prospect of a nest being robbed is bigger within the forest inside than near the highway, as three of the 4 predator species listed above (all besides the magpie) desire searching there. Sadly for the author of this put up, for the Puff-throated Babbler, the prospect of a nest being robbed is analogous near the highway and within the forest inside, so citing this paper in reference to this species is a bit pointless.
The Pin-striped Tit-babbler apparently often makes use of beetles as a part of its preening, a habits described in an extended article on anting in Malaysian birds that’s a part of a huge on-line report with some very good pictures.
The Pin-striped Tit-babbler can also be talked about in a report on the incidence and position of blue facial pores and skin in South-East Asian birds – it’s an exception from the opposite species listed in that it reveals pinkish slightly than blue neck pores and skin when calling.
If the Indochinese Inexperienced Magpie needs to show coloration, it will probably presumably do that utilizing any a part of its physique.
Just like PVC backyard benches steadily altering their coloration outside, the feathers’ inexperienced, yellow, and crimson colours bleach to boring gentle blue, whitish, and brown if uncovered to extended vibrant daylight (HBW).
Regardless of these coloration variations, the species identify hypoleuca (whitish) doesn’t appear to make any sense in any respect.
The Frequent Emerald Dove appears to make use of higher colorants – so far as I do know, its coloration doesn’t change if it spends a number of time on a seashore or within the solar.
That is good as staying in cities (the place there may be extra shade) shouldn’t be actually an choice for it – in cities, its cooing is inaudible above the site visitors noise. That is in distinction to different dove species, significantly the Noticed Dove, which manages to regulate its cooing to cut back the masking results of site visitors noise (supply).
The Racket-tailed Treepie is a slightly magical-looking fowl, although I’m afraid my pictures don’t absolutely do it justice.
Whereas that presumably makes them in style with birders, they’re much much less favored by small birds. A paper describes them preying on small birds (warning: graphic pictures of a younger White-headed Munia being eaten) and robbing nests.
There’s not likely a lot scientific details about the Laced Woodpecker, and the scientific species identify vittatus (“banded, ribboned”) doesn’t give me a lot to speak about both.
As with many woodpeckers, the sexes are color-coded, with the crimson brow indicating the male.
One ringed particular person – no crimson on the brow, thus a feminine – was later seen once more in a location at the very least 1.5 km away over open water, indicating that the species both is an effective swimmer or doesn’t thoughts flying over water over such distances. The identical commentary additionally proved a attainable life span of this species of at the very least 14 years.
eBird calls the Black-and-Buff Woodpecker an “adorably tiny and stout woodpecker”, a a lot nicer and friendlier description than the one within the HBW (“small, short-tailed woodpecker”).
Sadly, this woodpecker appears to be even much less researched than the earlier one. The HBW entry is mainly an inventory of issues not recognized concerning the fowl:
“Poorly recognized. Analysis required to find out its feeding ecology and breeding biology.”
“Habits not well-known.”
“Breeding Mar–Jun. No different info.”
The White-crested Laughingthrush seems to be a bit too posh to me – I’d in all probability really feel a bit uncomfortable having it round me on a regular basis. It will in all probability insist on ingesting wine as a substitute of beer and frown at any time when I order a pizza.
The species is a cooperative breeder – birds apart from the mother and father assist feed the chicks.
Nonetheless, generally birds arrive at or close to the nest with meals after which proceed to eat it themselves slightly than feed the chicks. One scientist named this habits ‘misleading serving to’ and thought it was a type of commercial that people used to boost their standing inside the group (supply) – a slightly cute concept, I believe. Sadly, it’s in all probability not an accurate concept as birds additionally confirmed this habits when no different birds had been watching.
Just a few pictures of a feminine White-throated Rock Thrush – it migrates by way of Shanghai, so something I can say about it I’ve in all probability mentioned already.
I used to be conscious that sunbirds and spiderhunters are associated (I figured it out from them being shut to one another on the pages of fowl guides) however I used to be not likely too certain concerning the particulars. So, I did what everybody would have completed wanting studying a guide (god forbid!) – I requested ChatGPT. Right here is the reply:
Sunbirds and spiderhunters are each a part of the Nectariniidae household, however they’ve distinct variations when it comes to their morphology, habits, and habitat preferences. Listed below are the important thing variations:
Morphology:
- Dimension and Form:
- Sunbirds: Sometimes small to medium-sized birds with a slender, curved invoice tailored for feeding on nectar.
- Spiderhunters: Typically bigger than sunbirds with an extended, extra strong, and strongly curved invoice, which is customized for extracting spiders and bugs from foliage.
- Plumage:
- Sunbirds: Usually brightly coloured with iridescent feathers, particularly in males. Females are usually extra subdued in coloration.
- Spiderhunters: Normally have extra muted plumage in comparison with sunbirds, with many species being predominantly inexperienced, brown, or yellowish, which helps them mix into their forest habitats.
Conduct:
- Feeding Habits:
- Sunbirds: Primarily nectar feeders but in addition devour bugs and spiders, particularly when feeding younger.
- Spiderhunters: As their identify suggests, they concentrate on searching spiders and different small invertebrates, though additionally they devour nectar.
- Foraging Fashion:
- Sunbirds: Usually seen hovering like hummingbirds to feed on flowers, however they will additionally perch whereas feeding.
- Spiderhunters: Extra prone to glean bugs and spiders from foliage, bark, and flowers. They hardly ever hover whereas feeding.
Habitat:
- Vary and Distribution:
- Sunbirds: Discovered throughout Africa, the Center East, and elements of Southeast Asia, inhabiting quite a lot of environments together with forests, savannas, gardens, and shrublands.
- Spiderhunters: Primarily present in Southeast Asia, from the Indian subcontinent to the Philippines, with a desire for forested areas, together with lowland and montane forests.
Vocalizations:
- Sunbirds: Sometimes have high-pitched, speedy, and infrequently melodious songs and calls.
- Spiderhunters: Their calls are sometimes harsher and fewer melodious in comparison with sunbirds.
Nesting:
- Each sunbirds and spiderhunters construct pendant nests, however the specifics can fluctuate between species. Sunbird nests are sometimes extra elaborately constructed with finer supplies, whereas spiderhunter nests may be easier.
Not being as educated as ChatGPT, my very own modest contribution to this subject is simply to point out a couple of examples of sunbirds and spiderhunters as seen at Tan Phu:
Crimson Sunbird …
… (the species identify siparaja apparently is Malay for military basic) …
… Purple-naped Spiderhunter …
… (which eBird calls “darkish and principally drab sunbirdlike”, confirming ChatGPT within the first half and complicated everybody within the second half – one contributor on a fowl discussion board even states that it is dependent upon the record you utilize: “Of worldwide lists, IOC retains it as a sunbird whereas Clements has it as a spiderhunter”) …
… and Little Spiderhunter …
… (a fowl that sadly is getting uncommon in Bangladesh, probably as a result of overuse of pesticides, as described right here).
Lastly, the Orange-necked Partridge. It was solely found in 1927, and till 1991, it was unclear whether or not it nonetheless existed (supply).
Its vary as indicated within the HBW is extraordinarily small – just some spots in Southern Vietnam and a bit little bit of Cambodia – and it’s listed as Close to Threatened.
Whereas these days searching and deforestation are the primary threats, up to now, the usage of herbicides like Agent Orange and Agent White throughout the Vietnam Struggle might have diminished its quantity (supply).
Historical past Sidebar: The slogan “Solely we are able to forestall forests” was utilized by the U.S. Military’s Chemical Corps throughout the Vietnam Struggle, a reference to their use of defoliants like Agent Orange to take away forest cowl and crops utilized by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces.
Local weather change is a specific risk to the Orange-necked Partridge as a consequence of its restricted vary and reliance on lowland areas, slicing off the escape path to barely extra elevated areas with corresponding decrease temperatures. Or to place it scientifically (from a paper analyzing the impact of local weather change on 55 completely different species of pheasants and family): species such because the Orange-necked Partridge “with a restricted vary will lose appropriate habitat for dispersal following habitat shifts as a consequence of climatic change”.
There are fairly a couple of candidates for the identify “David” which is commemorated within the species identify (davidi). Nonetheless, the HBW states that the correct one is Louis Henri André David-Beaulieu (1896-1969), a French colonial administrator in Indochina and naturalist. Sadly, I couldn’t discover any grime on him, despite the fact that I’d be shocked if there may be none given his place as a colonial administrator.
