The Collared Finchbill just isn’t a uncommon fowl, and it’s not endangered, however it’s a specific favourite of mine. So, with a view to present a couple of extra photographs of the fowl than the same old two or three had I included this fowl in a submit of birds seen round Wolongshan, Sichuan, right here is one devoted to the species.
The Collared Finchbill is a bulbul, regardless that the title doesn’t state this instantly. It’s a little bit of an outsider within the bulbul household, being solely considered one of two bulbuls within the genus Spizixos (“chirping bulbul” – a bit unusual as many different bulbuls together with the omnipresent Gentle-vented Bulbul additionally chirp loads). The opposite is the Crested Finchbill.
The Latin species title is semitorques, which suggests one thing like “half-twisted” – however I don’t know why. The Japanese Scops Owl has the identical phrase in its title (Otus semitorques), however I couldn’t discover an evidence for that both.
The distribution map of the Collared Finchbill consists of Shanghai, which is on the Northeastern border of the distribution – however in reality, Collared Finchbills are fairly uncommon right here. Usually talking, although, it’s a widespread fowl that advantages from tolerating extremely man-modified environments (HBW). So, I suppose perhaps Shanghai is simply too chilly for it in winter.
If you’re extra desirous about feather mites than in birds, a paper describing two new species of pteronyssid feather mite species (considered one of which was collected from Collared Finchbills) could also be extra enticing to you than this submit, regardless of the dearth of photographs. It was printed within the Journal “Systematic and Utilized Acarology” (apparently, acarology is the research of mites and ticks).
Consuming greens is nice on your well being, my mom insisted, although I hardly ever comply with this recommendation except on birding journeys when there aren’t any good alternate options. In one research simply printed in July 2023, herbivorous Collared Finchbills had the bottom mercury focus whereas an insectivorous species had the best. My mom is useless already, however she may need identified that she advised me so.
And naturally, there’s the anticipated paper characterizing the mitochondrial genome of Collared Finchbill. Should discover work for grad college students, should discover work for grad college students, mumbled the professor manically.
Most Collared Finchbills should not very eager on mentioning the chicks of Himalayan Cuckoos. Luckily for them (although much less so for the cuckoo), in one experiment they ejected 100% of all cuckoo mannequin eggs. A relative of them, the Brown-breasted Bulbul, depends on a special technique to keep away from being cuckolded – inserting their nests away from forests (the place the cuckoo lives), and aggressively attacking cuckoos.
I used to be nearly to comply with the above with the phrase about there being multiple method to pores and skin a cat however then shied away from utilizing it as I actually like cats (as witnessed by the 13 sharing my house with me). So, I appeared on-line for another and located a web site with the self-explanatory title “Animal-Pleasant Options for Widespread Expressions” (it additionally gives alternate options for phrases corresponding to “Killing two birds with one stone”). The phrase they counsel utilizing is “Feed two birds with one hand”, or the vegan model “Minimize two carrots with one knife”.
