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Birds of South East Asia 1st Edition

Craig Robson
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HELM FIELD GUIDES

Birds of
South-East
Asia
Concise Edition

Craig Robson

Illustrated by Richard Allen, Tim Worfolk,


Stephen Message, Jan Wilczur, Clive Byers,
Mike Langman, Ian Lewington, Christopher Schmidt,
Andrew Mackay, John Cox, Anthony Disley,
Hilary Burn, Daniel Cole and Martin Elliott

CHRISTOPHER HELM
LONDON
Christopher Helm
An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

50 Bedford Square 1385 Broadway


London New York
WC1B 3DP NY 10018
UK USA

www.bloomsbury.com

BLOOMSBURY, CHRISTOPHER HELM and the Helm logo are trademarks


of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

First published by New Holland in 2005


This electronic edition published 2015 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Copyright © 2005 in text: Craig Robson


Copyright © 2005 in cartography: Craig Robson/Bloomsbury Publishing
Copyright © 2005 in avian topography: Richard Allen
Copyright © 2005 in plates: Richard Allen, Tim Worfolk, Stephen Message, Jan Wilczur, Clive Byers, Mike
Langman, Ian Lewington, Christopher Schmidt, Andrew Mackay, John Cox, Anthony Disley, Hilary Burn, Daniel
Cole, Martin Elliott

Craig Robson has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as
Author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system,
without prior permission in writing from the publishers.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN (print): 978-1-4729-2423-0


ISBN (ePub): 978-1-4729-2424-7
ISBN (ePDF): 978-1-4729-2425-4

To find out more about our authors and books visit www.bloomsbury.com. Here you will find extracts, author
interviews, details of forthcoming events and the option to sign up for our newsletters.
11227m1-9 prelims 7/12/04 12:17 PM Page 3 (5th Reflex Blue plate)

CONTENTS

Front paper – Visual index GRUINAE Typical cranes . . . . . . . . . . . . .84


Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 HELIORNITHIDAE Finfoots . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Species account/plate information . . . . . . . . . .6 RALLIDAE Rails, gallinules and coots . . . . . . . .86
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 SCOLOPACIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Abbreviations & conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 SCOLOPACINAE
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Woodcocks and snipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Avian topography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 TRINGINAE Godwits, curlews,
Plates and species accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 sandpipers, dowitchers, phalaropes
and allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
MEGAPODIIDAE Scrubfowl . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 ROSTRATULIDAE Painted-snipes . . . . . . . .102
PHASIANIDAE Francolins, partridges, quails, JACANIDAE Jacanas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
pheasants and junglefowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 BURHINIDAE Thick-knees . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
DENDROCYGNIDAE Whistling-ducks . . . . .22 CHARADRIIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
ANATIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 RECURVIROSTRINAE . . . . . . . . . . . .102
ANATINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Haematopodini Oystercatchers . . . . .102
Anserini Geese, atypical ducks Recurvirostrini Ibisbill, stilts and
and pygmy-geese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 avocets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Anatini Typical ducks . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 CHARADRIINAE Plovers and lapwings 104
TURNICIDAE Buttonquails . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 GLAREOLIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
INDICATORIDAE Honeyguides . . . . . . . . . . .40 DROMADINAE Crab-plover . . . . . . . . .104
PICIDAE Wrynecks, piculets and typical GLAREOLINAE Pratincoles . . . . . . . . . .102
woodpeckers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 LARIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
MEGALAIMIDAE Asian barbets . . . . . . . . . . .38 LARINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
BUCEROTIDAE Asian hornbills . . . . . . . . . . .42 Stercorariini Skuas and jaegers . . . . . .114
UPUPIDAE Hoopoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Rynchopini Skimmers . . . . . . . . . . . .114
TROGONIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Larini Gulls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Harpactini Asian trogons . . . . . . . . . . .46 Sternini Terns and noddies . . . . . . . . .114
CORACIIDAE Rollers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 ACCIPITRIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
ALCEDINIDAE Smaller kingfishers . . . . . . . . .48 PANDIONINAE Osprey . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
HALCYONIDAE Larger kingfishers . . . . . . . . .50 ACCIPITRINAE Hawks and eagles . . . . .120
CERYLIDAE Pied kingfishers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 FALCONIDAE Falcons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
MEROPIDAE Bee-eaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 PODICIPEDIDAE Grebes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
CUCULIDAE Old World cuckoos . . . . . . . . . .52 PHAETHONTIDAE Tropicbirds . . . . . . . . .156
CENTROPODIDAE Coucals . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 SULIDAE Boobies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
PSITTACIDAE Parrots and parakeets . . . . . . .60 ANHINGIDAE Darters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
APODIDAE Swifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 PHALACROCORACIDAE Cormorants . . . .144
HEMIPROCNIDAE Treeswifts . . . . . . . . . . . .64 ARDEIDAE Egrets, herons and bitterns . . . . .146
TYTONIDAE Barn, grass and bay owls . . . . . .72 PHOENICOPTERIDAE Flamingos . . . . . . .152
STRIGIDAE Typical owls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 THRESKIORNITHIDAE
BATRACHOSTOMIDAE Asian frogmouths . .72 Ibises and spoonbills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
EUROSTOPODIDAE Eared nightjars . . . . . .74 PELECANIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
CAPRIMULGIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 PELECANINAE Pelicans . . . . . . . . . . . .148
CAPRIMULGINAE Typical nightjars . . . .74 CICONIIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
COLUMBIDAE Pigeons and doves . . . . . . . . .76 CICONIINAE Storks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
OTIDIDAE Bustards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 FREGATIDAE Frigatebirds . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
GRUIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 GAVIIDAE Loons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
02158m/1-9 prelims 25/2/05 13:10 Page 4 (5th Reflex Blue plate)

PROCELLARIIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 PARINAE Typical tits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212


PROCELLARIINAE AEGITHALIDAE Long-tailed tits . . . . . . . . .212
Petrels and shearwaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 HIRUNDINIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
HYDROBATINAE Storm-petrels . . . . . .156 PSEUDOCHELIDONINAE
PITTIDAE Pittas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158 River martins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216
EURYLAIMIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160 HIRUNDININAE Martins and swallows 214
CALYPTOMENINAE Green broadbills .160 REGULIDAE Crests and allies . . . . . . . . . . . .236
EURYLAIMINAE Typical broadbills . . . .160 PYCNONOTIDAE Bulbuls . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
PARDALOTIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232 CISTICOLIDAE African warblers
ACANTHIZINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232 (cisticolas, prinias and allies) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224
Acanthizini Gerygones and allies . . . .232 ZOSTEROPIDAE White-eyes . . . . . . . . . . . .216
IRENIDAE Fairy bluebirds and leafbirds . . . .162 SYLVIIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
LANIIDAE Shrikes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164 ACROCEPHALINAE
CORVIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164 Tesias, warblers, tailorbirds
CINCLOSOMATINAE and allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
Rail-babblers and allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164 MEGALURINAE Grassbirds . . . . . . . . . .224
PACHYCEPHALINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . .180 GARRULACINAE Laughingthrushes . . . .242
Pachycephalini Whistlers and allies . .180 SYLVIINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234
CORVINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 Timaliini Babblers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248
Corvini Jays, magpies, treepies, Sylviini Sylvia warblers . . . . . . . . . . .234
nutcrackers, crows and allies . . . . . . . .166 ALAUDIDAE Larks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270
Artamini Woodswallows and allies . . .178 NECTARINIIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272
Oriolini Orioles, cuckooshrikes, NECTARINIINAE
trillers, minivets and flycatcher-shrikes .170 Dicaeini Flowerpeckers . . . . . . . . . . . .272
DICRURINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176 Nectariniini
Rhipidurini Fantails . . . . . . . . . . . . .178 Sunbirds and spiderhunters . . . . . . . . .274
Dicrurini Drongos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176 PASSERIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270
Monarchini Monarchs, PASSERINAE Sparrows . . . . . . . . . . . . .282
paradise-flycatchers and allies . . . . . . . .180 MOTACILLINAE Wagtails and pipits . .278
AEGITHININAE Ioras . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162 PRUNELLINAE Accentors . . . . . . . . . . .270
MALACONOTINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180 PLOCEINAE Weavers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .282
Vangini Philentomas, woodshrikes ESTRILDINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .282
and allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180 Estrildini Estrildine finches
CINCLIDAE Dippers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186 (Red Avadavat, parrotfinches,
MUSCICAPIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182 munias and Java Sparrow) . . . . . . . . .282
TURDINAE Thrushes and shortwings . . .182 FRINGILLIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .282
MUSCICAPINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186 FRINGILLINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .282
Muscicapini Old World flycatchers . . .186 Fringillini
Saxicolini Chats and allies . . . . . . . . .196 Chaffinches and Brambling . . . . . . . . .286
STURNIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204 Carduelini Finches, siskins,
Sturnini Starlings and mynas . . . . . . .204 crossbills, grosbeaks and allies . . . . . . . .282
SITTIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208 EMBERIZINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .290
SITTINAE Nuthatches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208 Emberizini Buntings and allies . . . . . .290
TICHODROMINAE Wallcreeper . . . . . .210
CERTHIIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210 Selected bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294
CERTHIINAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210 Bird study and conservation organizations .295
Certhiini Treecreepers . . . . . . . . . . . .210 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .296
TROGLODYTINAE Wrens . . . . . . . . . .208 Endpaper – Ornithological regions in South-
PARIDAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212 East Asia and Main geographical features and
REMIZINAE Penduline tits . . . . . . . . . . .214 political boundaries in South-East Asia
11227m1-9 prelims 7/12/04 12:17 PM Page 5 (5th Reflex Blue plate)

INTRODUCTION

This guide is a condensed version of A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia (Robson 2000), and is intended
to be as portable as possible, for use in the field. Obviously, in order to save space and therefore weight, the species
accounts are relatively short and are intended to be as concise as possible within the publisher’s brief. Additionally, the
illustrations are spread across an increased number of plates (142 rather than 104), and all of the species text faces
the relevant plates. For more detailed information on a given species, consult the above-mentioned guide.
Taxonomy and nomenclature follow A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia, with the following exceptions (the
references followed for each treatment appear in parentheses): Siamese Partridge Arborophila diversa is lumped in
Chestnut-headed Partridge A. cambodiana (Eames et al. 2002); Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx fugax
becomes two species, Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo H. fugax and Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo H. nisicolor (King 2002);
Mongolian Gull Larus mongolicus is treated as a distinct species, rather than a race of Herring Gull L. argentatus
(Yésou 2001, 2002); Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris is split from Long-billed (Indian) Vulture G. indicus
(Rasmussen and Parry 2001); Indian Spotted Eagle Aquila hastata is split from Lesser Spotted Eagle A. pomarina
(Parry et al. 2002); Green-backed Flycatcher Ficedula elisae is split from Narcissus Flycatcher F. narcissina (Round
2000); and Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata becomes Siberian Stonechat S. maura (Wink et al. 2002). Three
species new to science also appear in this guide: Omei Warbler Seicercus omeiensis (Martens et al. 1999), Chest-
nut-eared Laughingthrush Garrulax konkakinhensis (Eames and Eames 2001), and Mekong Wagtail Motacilla
samveasnae (Duckworth et al. 2001). Additionally, the generic name Houbaropsis is reinstated for Bengal Florican,
rather than Eupodotis (Inskipp et al. 1996), and the common name Ludlow’s Fulvetta is used for Alcippe ludlowi,
as the alternative (Brown-throated Fulvetta) is so misleading. Unfortunately, however, in order to balance out the plates,
and compare some similar species, it has not been possible to follow the exact (correct) species order.
Eleven species that were not illustrated in the original work (Wandering Whistling-duck Dendrocygna arcua-
ta, Swan Goose Anser cygnoides, Sacred Kingfisher Todirhamphus sanctus, Stilt Sandpiper Micropalama
himantopus, Aleutian Tern Sterna aleutica, Black Tern Chlidonias niger, Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon
rubricauda, Chinese Penduline Tit Remiz consobrinus, Snowy-throated Babbler Stachyris oglei, Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs and Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus) are now fully illustrated, as are 16 species that have been
recorded as new to the region since publication of the original work (Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator,
Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba, White-headed Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus, Laughing Gull Larus atri-
cilla, Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea, Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus,
Yellow-billed Loon Gavia adamsii, Rusty-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx hyperythra, Wallcreeper Ticho-
droma muraria, Pleske’s Warbler Locustella pleskei, Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita, Chestnut-
eared Laughingthrush, Ludlow’s Fulvetta, Mekong Wagtail and Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica). A single
new subspecies (or species, depending on your viewpoint) now recorded from the region, White Wagtail Motacilla
alba lugens (aka ‘Black-backed Wagtail’), is also illustrated. Significantly, it has also been possible to have more
than 120 illustrations from the original guide improved or corrected.
Two species (Vega Gull L. vegae and Saunders’s Tern S. saundersi) that were included in the original work, but
have not been recorded from the region, are now deleted.
All species known to have been recorded in the region by the author up to spring 2003 are dealt with and illus-
trated, and distribution and other texts have been widely updated. Two new species for South-East Asia have been
recorded between this date and the book going to press: Little Gull Larus minutus at Bang Pu, Samut Prakan,
C Thailand, in November 2001, and Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus at Pulau Langkawi, Kedah, Peninsular
Malaysia in January 2001.
If readers find any errors or omissions, the author (c/o New Holland Publishers) would be pleased to receive any infor-
mation that updates or corrects that presented herein, in the hope that an improved edition may appear in the future.

5
02158m/1-9 prelims 25/2/05 13:10 Page 6 (5th Reflex Blue plate)

SPECIES ACCOUNT/PLATE INFORMATION

• The total length of each species appears after the species name.
• A comparative approach has been adopted with species descriptions, where scarcer species are generally com-
pared to commoner or more widespread species. In general, those species considered to be easily identifiable
have been afforded less coverage than the more difficult species.
• Comparisons between similar species are dealt with directly and separately under the various sex/age or other
headings.
• Males are described first (except in polyandrous species) and female plumage compared directly to the male
plumage.
• Names of illustrated subspecies are only given after the first sex/age class dealt with. It can be assumed that the
following illustrations are of the same race, until another one is mentioned. The ornithological regions of South-East
Asia (see inside back cover) where a given subspecies has been recorded (e.g. NW Thailand, S Annam) appear in
parentheses after its name – though generally not in the case of the first subspecies listed, the range of which can
be deduced by consulting the map and then subtracting the ranges of other subspecies. Subspecies given as ‘ssp.’
are currently undescribed or in the process of being described.

Details of non-illustrated sex/age classes refer to the last named subspecies in the sequence. The subspecies listed
under ‘Other subspecies’ are generally not considered to differ markedly from the first subspecies mentioned.

• Altitude ranges refer to South-East Asia only.


• References to 6°, 9° and 12° N etc. refer to the ‘Malay Peninsular’ only, unless stated.
• Species depicted on any one plate have been illustrated to the same scale (smaller in the case of flight figures) unless
stated.
• Readers will notice that some regularly used words in the range texts, and the generic names of a few species
have been abbreviated. These were necessary space-saving measures.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am grateful to a number of people for their valuable assistance during the preparation of this work. In particular, I
would like to thank those artists who painted new figures and made amendments to some of the original ones.
During visits to the bird collections at the Natural History Museum, Tring, I was greatly assisted again by staff there
(Mark Adams, Robert Prys-Jones and F.E ‘Effie’ Warr).
Others who helped me in updating the text were Philip Round, Pamela Rasmussen, Per Alström, Bill Clark, Peter
Davidson, Will Duckworth, Jonathan Eames, Tim Inskipp, Mikhail Kalyakin, Peter Kennerley, Ben King, Le Hai Quang,
Paul Leader, Yoshimitsu Shigeta and David Wells.
I am also very grateful to Nigel Collar for his painstaking work in editing the manuscript, and the designer at
D & N Publishing for the difficult task of rearranging the plates. Jo Hemmings, Jane Morrow and Charlotte Judet at
New Holland showed a high level of commitment to the project.

6
11227m1-9 prelims 7/12/04 12:18 PM Page 7 (5th Reflex Blue plate)

ABBREVIATIONS & CONVENTIONS

Co Common WV Winter visitor


Fc Fairly common FWV Former winter visitor
Lc Locally common PM Passage migrant
Lfc Locally fairly common NBV Non-breeding visitor
Un Uncommon FNBV Former non-breeding visitor
Ul Uncommon local VS Visits/visiting/visitor
Lo Local V Vagrant
Sc Scarce Fo Formerly occurred
Sl Scarce local Frc Formerly recorded
Vl Very local Rc Recorded
Ra Rare E Extinct
Rl Rare local
> More than
R Resident < Less than (up to)
FER Feral resident ssp. subspecies currently undescribed
FR Former resident Syn. Synonym
BV Breeding visitor M Male
B Breeds f Female
FB Formerly bred

7
11227m1-9 prelims 7/12/04 12:18 PM Page 8 (5th Reflex Blue plate)

GLOSSARY

Axillaries: the feathers at the base of the underwing. Morph: a permanent alternative plumage exhibited by a
Bird-wave: mixed-species feeding flock. species, having no taxonomic standing and usually
Casque: an enlargement of the upper mandible, as in involving base colour, not pattern.
many hornbill species. Nomadic: prone to wandering, or occurring erratically,
Cere: a fleshy structure at the base of the bill which with no fixed territory outside breeding season.
contains the nostrils. Nuchal: pertaining to the nape and hindneck.
Clang: loud ringing sound. Ocelli: eye-like spots, often iridescent.
Clangour: clanging noise. Orbital: surrounding the eye.
Comb: erect unfeathered fleshy growth, situated Pelagic: of the open sea.
lengthwise on crown. Polyandrous: mating with more than one male (usually
Crest: tuft of feathers on crown of head, sometimes associated with sex-role reversal).
erectile. Post-ocular: behind the eye.
Distal: (of the part) further from the body. Race: see Subspecies.
Dorsal: of or on the back Rami: barbs of feathers.
Eclipse: a dull short-term post-nuptial plumage. Shaft-streak: a pale or dark line in the plumage
Face: informal term for the front part of the head, produced by the feather shaft.
usually including the forehead, lores, cheeks and often Subspecies: a geographical population whose
the chin. members all show constant differences, in plumage
Flight feathers: in this work, a space-saving collective and/or size etc., from those of other populations of the
term for primaries and secondaries. same species.
Fringe: complete feather margin. Subterminal: immediately before the tip.
Frugivorous: fruit-eating. Terminal: at the tip.
Graduated tail: tail on which each feather, starting Terrestrial: living or occurring mainly on the ground.
outermost, is shorter than the adjacent inner feather. Tibia: upper half of often visible avian leg (above the
Gregarious: living in flocks or communities. reverse ‘knee’).
Gular: pertaining to the throat. Trailing edge: the rear edge (usually of the wing in
Gunung: Malay word for mountain. flight).
Hackles: long, pointed neck feathers. Underparts: the lower parts of the body (loosely
Hepatic: brownish-red (applied to the rufous morph of applied).
some cuckoos). Underside: the entire lower surface of the body.
Knob: a fleshy protrusion on the upper mandible of the Upperparts: the upper parts of the body, usually
bill. excluding the head, tail and wings (loosely applied).
Lappet: a fold of skin (wattle) hanging or protruding Upperside: the entire upper surface of the body, tail
from the head. and wings.
Lateral: on or along the side. Vagrant: a status for a species nationally or regionally
Leading edge: the front edge (usually of the forewing when it is accidental (rare and irregular) in occurrence.
in flight). Vermiculated: marked with narrow wavy lines, often
Local: occurring or relatively common within a small or only visible at close range.
restricted area. Web: a vane (to one side of the shaft) of a feather.
Mask: informal term for the area of the head around Wing-bar: a line across a closed wing formed by
the eye, often extending back from the bill and covering different-coloured tips to the greater or median coverts,
(part of) the ear-coverts. or both.
Mesial: down the middle (applied to streak on chin/ Wing-panel: a lengthwise strip on closed wing formed
throat, mostly of raptors); interchangeable with gular. by coloured fringes (usually on flight feathers).

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AVIAN TOPOGRAPHY

The figures below illustrate the main plumage tracts and bare-part features. This terminology for bird topog-
raphy has been used extensively in the species descriptions, and a full understanding of these terms is impor-
tant if the reader is to make full use of this book; they are a starting point in putting together a description.

back rump uppertail-coverts


median crown stripe lateral crown stripe

lores tail
supercilium
eyering
culmen
tertials
eyestripe
upper scapulars
mandible
lesser coverts
median coverts
lower mandible
moustachial stripe greater coverts
malar stripe submoustachial stripe secondaries

carpal joint

lores crown alula


ear-coverts
forehead
primary coverts
nape
(hindneck)
primaries
chin mantle
gape scapulars
cheeks
back
throat
lesser coverts secondaries
median coverts tertials
breast
rump
alula
greater coverts uppertail-coverts
primary coverts
tail
flanks tarsus
belly
vent
undertail-coverts
thigh primaries

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PLATE 1 SCRUBFOWL, FRANCOLINS, PARTRIDGES, QUAILS & BUTTONQUAILS


1 NICOBAR SCRUBFOWL Megapodius nicobariensis 39 cm 6 RAIN QUAIL Coturnix coromandelica 16.5–18.5 cm
(a) Adult nicobariensis: Plain brown and greyish, red facial (a) Male: Black on breast and flanks. (b) Female/juvenile:
skin. Juvenile: Brown below, facial skin smaller/paler, initially Duller/more uniform breast than Japanese (often greyish), with
buffier facial area. VOICE kyouououou-kyou-kou-kouk- more irregular dark spots and bolder whitish streaks; primaries
oukoukoukou (first note rising, rest decreasing in staccato unbarred. Juvenile breast perhaps initially more heavily speck-
series) from males. Cackling kuk-a-kuk-kuk call. HABITAT & led. VOICE Males give 3–5 sharp metallic whit-whit couplets.
BEHAVIOUR Island forest understorey, nearby sandy beaches. HABITAT Dry grassland and cultivation, scrub; up to 1,525 m
Runs from danger. RANGE FR (still?) Coco Is, S Myanmar. (mainly lowlands). RANGE Sc/lc R (local movements) Myanmar
(except Tenasserim), Thailand (except S), Cambodia, S Annam.
2 CHINESE FRANCOLIN Francolinus pintadeanus 31–33 cm
(a) Male phayrei: Blackish with whitish spots/bars, ear-coverts 7 BLUE-BREASTED QUAIL Coturnix chinensis 13–15 cm
white with black surround, throat white. Crown-sides rufous, (a) Male chinensis: Face and breast slaty-blue, throat black
scapulars chestnut. (b) Female: Duller/browner, less black on and white, vent chestnut. (b,c) Female: Quite dull/uniform
crown-centre, little chestnut on scapulars, more barred than above, buff supercilium, blackish barred breast/flanks. Juve-
spotted below. (c) Juvenile: Duller than female, less rufous on nile: As female but perhaps initially duller with dark mottling
crown, pale streaks above, eyestripe and moustachial streak and whitish streaks on breast/flanks. Males soon show some
almost lacking or latter reduced to spots. VOICE Male territorial adult plumage. VOICE Sweet whistled ti-yu ti-yu (sometimes 3
call is loud harsh metallic wi-ta-tak-takaa. HABITAT Open for- notes) from male. HABITAT Dry/slightly marshy grassland, scrub,
est and woodland, grass and scrub; up to 1,800 m. RANGE Fc/co cultivation; up to 1,300 m. RANGE Un/co R (except W Myanmar,
R (except Tenasserim, S Thailand, Pen Malaysia, Singapore). S Laos, N,S Annam). Local movements in Pen Malaysia at least.

3 BLACK PARTRIDGE Melanoperdix nigra 24–27 cm 8 SMALL BUTTONQUAIL Turnix sylvatica 13–14 cm
(a) Male nigra: Glossy black with slightly browner wings. (b) (a,b) Female mikado: Buff-and-black-streaked chestnut wing-
Female: Dark chestnut; buffier head-sides/throat/vent, black coverts, paler breast than Yellow-legged, bluish/blackish bill, grey-
scapulars spots. Chestnut scales/bars on head-sides/throat (may ish-pinkish legs. Male: Mantle less rufous. (c) Juvenile: Breast
be blacker on cheeks). (c) Juvenile: As female but fine pale and duller than female, blackish spots across breast. Other subspecies
dark vermiculations and some pale spots above; less black on T.s.dussumier (Myanmar): Paler above, more obvious buff and
scapular, large whitish spots and dark bars down breast- rufous-chestnut on hindneck/upper mantle. T.s.davidi (Cochinchi-
sides/flanks, whiter vent. HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Broadleaved ever- na). VOICE Female territorial call is series of 1 s long hooo notes.
green forest; up to 610 m. Very shy. RANGE Sc R Pen Malaysia. Recalls Barred, but notes more mournful, longer, slower, and more
slowly repeated. HABITAT Dry grassland, thickets bordering cultiva-
4 COMMON QUAIL Coturnix coturnix 20–20.5 cm tion; up to 1,150 m. RANGE Sc/lo R C,S,E Myanmar, NW,C Thailand,
(a) Male coturnix: Possibly tends to have less chestnut base Cambodia, N,C Laos, E Tonkin, C Annam, Cochinchina.
colour to breast/flanks and browner upperparts than non-
breeding male Japanese; slightly larger (wing >105 mm). (b) 9 YELLOW-LEGGED BUTTONQUAIL T.tanki 16.5–18 cm
Female/first winter: No dark gular stripe. May be inseparable (a,b) Female blanfordii: Yellow legs, black spots on sandy-buff
in field (either sex) from Japanese. VOICE Male territorial call is coverts, deep buff breast-patch, round black upper flank spots,
rhythmic whistled pit pil-it. May give slightly ringing pik- mostly yellowish bill. Shows the most contrasting wing-coverts.
kreee when flushed. HABITAT Lowland grassy areas, cultivation. Male: Lacks female’s rufous nuchal collar. (c) Juvenile: Duller
RANGE Ra WV/V W,S Myanmar. breast-patch than male, faint dark bars on lower throat/breast,
duller wing-covert spots. VOICE Females apparently utter low
5 JAPANESE QUAIL Coturnix japonica 19 cm hooting notes, which increase in strength and turn into human-
(a) Male non-breeding japonica: As female but throat with like moan. HABITAT Grassland, scrub, cultivation, secondary
blackish to chestnut gular-line and bar, breast warmer (often growth; up to 2,135 m. RANGE Un/co R (except southern S Thai-
more chestnut and less blackish streaks. (b) Male breeding: land, Pen Malaysia, Singapore). Un PM E Tonkin, N Annam.
Pinkish-chestnut head-sides/throat diagnostic. Often has dark
throat-bands. (c,d) Female/first winter: Brownish above with 10 BARRED BUTTONQUAIL Turnix suscitator 15–17.5 cm
whitish/buff streaks and speckles, rufescent to chestnut (a,b) Female thai: Black throat-patch and breast/flank bars,
breast/flanks, with black and whitish streaks. Pale buff/whitish black-and-buff-barred coverts, rufous-buff vent. Quite greyish
throat with double dark bar at side (often short moustachial line above. (c) Male/juvenile: No black on throat/breast. (d)
almost joining first bar). Base colour of breast and flanks tends Female blakistoni (rc NW Thailand, N Indochina): Rufous-
to more chestnut than Common (broad chestnut streaks may be chestnut above (both sexes). Other subspecies T.s.atrogularis
distinctive if present), typically somewhat darker/greyer above; (S Thailand southwards): Richer buff below. T.s.plumbipes
wing <105 mm. Sharply pointed feathers on throat-sides dis- (SW,W Myanmar); pallescens (C,S Myanmar). VOICE Females give
tinctive if visible. VOICE Males utter a loud choo-peet-trrr or soft, quickly repeated, ventriloquial series of rising ooo notes
guku kr-r-r-r-r. HABITAT Grassy areas, cultivation; up to (increasing in volume before ending abruptly). HABITAT Dry grassy
500 m. RANGE Sc/un WV Myanmar, NW Thailand, N Laos, W,E areas, thickets, cultivation; to 1,650 m. RANGE Co R throughout.
Tonkin. V Cambodia, C Annam. ? B N Myanmar, E Tonkin.
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PLATE 2 ARBOROPHILA PARTRIDGES & FERRUGINOUS PARTRIDGE


1 HILL PARTRIDGE Arborophila torqueola 27.5–30.5 cm grey. VOICE Accelerating prruu notes, soon running to rapid,
(a) Male batemani: Chestnut crown, rufescent ear-coverts, gradually higher series of <70 pwi notes. Also rapid piping
narrow white upper breast-band, wavy blackish mantle-barring. tututututututututututu... (<60 notes). Partner often adds
(b) Female: Head-sides, throat and foreneck buffy/rufous, stressed tchew-tchew-tchew-tchew... HABITAT Broadleaved
breast scaled rufous-brown and grey, much chestnut on flanks. evergreen/semi-evergreen forest, bamboo; 140–250 m. RANGE
(c) Juvenile: Like female, but breast spotted buff/whitish. Lfc/co R east Cambodia, north-east Cochinchina.
Other subspecies A.t.griseata (W Tonkin): Greyer above,
more rufescent crown, slatier breast. VOICE Territorial call is 7 CHESTNUT-HEADED PARTRIDGE A.cambodiana 28 cm
mournful whistle, lasting c. 1.5 s. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen (a) Adult cambodiana: Chestnut head/breast, blackish crown/
forest; 2,135–3,005 m. RANGE Lc R W,N Myanmar, W Tonkin. eyestripe, heavily barred/mostly black above, large black-and-
white flank markings. Variable white and black markings across
2 RUFOUS-THROATED PARTRIDGE A.rufogularis 26–29 cm breast. (b) Adult diversa (SE Thailand): Head, neck and upper-
(a) Adult tickelli: Black-streaked rufous throat/neck, grey parts recall Bar-backed, breast chestnut, has more black-and-
breast, chestnut flank-streaks. (b) Juvenile: Plainer/buffier white below than cambodiana. (c) Adult: Less well-marked indi-
throat, white spots/streaks below, small black markings but no vidual. Juvenile Chestnut of breast washed-out, head pattern less
broad pale grey to buffish-grey markings on scapulars/coverts. contrasting (diversa). Other subspecies A.c.chandamonyi
(c) Adult intermedia (SW,W,N,S Myanmar): Mostly black (west Cambodia): Roughly intermediate. HABITAT Broadleaved
throat. (d) Adult annamensis (S Annam): Whitish throat, often evergreen forest; 400–1,000 m (700–1,500 m in Thailand).
a black necklace. Other subspecies A.r.euroa (N Indochina); RANGE Co/ul R SE Thailand, west and south-west Cambodia.
guttata (C Annam). VOICE Territorial call is long clear whistle
followed by whistled couplets: whu-whu whu-whu.., gradu- 8 SCALY-BREASTED PARTRIDGE A. chloropus 27–31.5 cm
ally ascending scale and increasing in pitch. Partner may add (a) Adult chloropus: Plain; greenish legs, reddish bill with dull
monotonous kew-kew-kew... HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen yellowish tip, indistinct flank markings. Juvenile: Whitish shafts
forest; 1,000–2,590 m. RANGE Co R Myanmar (except C), and tips on breast/flank feathers. (b) Adult cognacqi (S
W,NW,NE Thailand, Laos, W,E Tonkin, N,C,S Annam. Indochina, except Cambodia): Duller. Other subspecies
A.c.peninsularis (south W Thailand): Similar to cognacqi
3 WHITE-CHEEKED PARTRIDGE A.atrogularis 25.5–27 cm below. A.c.olivacea (Cambodia, N,C Laos, W Tonkin). VOICE
(a) Adult: Black throat, brownish crown, greyish breast, small Slowy accelerating clear notes (often doubled), then 5–7 loud,
flank markings. VOICE Accelerating ascending, throaty, quavering harsh, undulating couplets: tu-tu....tu-tu-tu..tu-tu. tu-
prrrer notes, usually followed by emphatic wi-hu or wa-hu tu-tu-tutututututututu TCHIRRA-TCHWIU-TCHIRRA-
couplets (wi/wa). Partner often adds monotonous chew- TCHWIU-TCHIRRA-TCHWIU... HABITAT Broadleaved forest,
chew-chew... HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest, secondary secondary growth, bamboo; up to 1,000 m. RANGE Co R N,C,S
growth; 610–1,220 m. RANGE Un R SW,W,N,E(north) Myanmar. Myanmar, north Tenasserim, W,NW,NE,SE Thailand, Indochina
(except E Tonkin, N,C Annam).
4 BAR-BACKED PARTRIDGE A.brunneopectus 26.5–29.5 cm
(a) Adult brunneopectus: Pale buffish supercilium/upper 9 ANNAM PARTRIDGE Arborophila merlini 29 cm
throat, black mantle-bars, brown breast, black-and-white flank (a) Adult: Yellow legs and feet, warm buff base colour to fore-
markings. (b) Adult henrici (N,C Indochina): Pale of head neck, large blackish markings on lower breast/flanks. VOICE
richer buff. (c) Adult albigula (S Annam): Head whiter. VOICE Possibly not distinguishable from Scaly-breasted. HABITAT
Males give loud brr notes (increasing in volume), then wi-wu Broadleaved evergreen forest, secondary growth; up to 600 m.
couplets (also becoming louder before ending abruptly). Part- RANGE Lo R C Annam.
ner often adds chew-chew-chew... HABITAT Broadleaved ever-
green forest; 500–1,525 m; rarely to 1,850 m in S Annam. RANGE 10 CHESTNUT-NECKLACED PARTRIDGE A.charltonii
Un/lC R C,E,S Myanmar, Tenasserim, W,NW,NE Thailand, north- 26–32 cm
east Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam (except Cochinchina). (a) Adult charltonii: Chestnut breast-band and ear-patch. (b)
Adult.tonkinensis (E Tonkin, N Annam): Narrower breast-
5 MALAYAN PARTRIDGE Arborophila campbelli 28 cm band/ear-patch. VOICE Like Scaly-breasted. HABITAT Broadleaved
(a) Adult: Largely black head/neck, grey upper mantle/breast, evergreen forest; up to 500 m. RANGE Ra R south Tenasserim, S
pale rufous-and-black flank markings. Juvenile: More chest- Thailand, Pen Malaysia. Lc R E Tonkin, N Annam.
nut-tinged above, breast barred blackish, grey and dull rufous,
flanks more heavily marked chestnut, black and buff. VOICE Like 11 FERRUGINOUS PARTRIDGE Caloperdix oculea 28–32 cm
Bar-backed; oii notes, usually followed by shrill, whistled pi- (a) Male oculea: Chestnut head/breast, pale-scaled black mantle
hor couplets. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; 1,000– and body-sides, black covert-spots. 1 or 2 spurs. Female: No spurs
1,600 m. RANGE Un/fc R extreme S Thailand, Pen Malaysia. or one short one. Juvenile Black-barred nape, blackish spot-
ted/barred breast. VOICE Ascending accelerating high notes, termi-
6 ORANGE-NECKED PARTRIDGE Arborophila davidi 27 cm nated abruptly with harsh couplets: p-pi-pi-pipipipipipi dit-
(a) Adult: Black band down neck and across lower foreneck, duit dit-duit. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest, bamboo; up
rest of neck mostly orange, throat whitish, breast brown then to 915 m. RANGE Sc/un R Tenasserim, W,S Thailand, Pen Malaysia.
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PLATE 3 PARTRIDGES, PHEASANTS, TRAGOPANS, MONALS & JUNGLEFOWL


1 LONG-BILLED PARTRIDGE Rhizothera longirostris 38 cm 6 TEMMINCK’S TRAGOPAN T.temminckii M 62–64,
(a) Male longirostris: Long stout bill, yellow legs, light chest- f 55–58 cm
nut head-sides/underparts, with grey foreneck and upper breast. (a,b) Male Crimson; bold greyish-white spots below, black above
Complex chestnut, brown, black and buff markings above. (b) eye, naked blue skin on face/throat. Throat-lappet blue with paler
Female: No grey on neck/breast. (c) Juvenile: Paler-faced and spots in centre and row of red bars down each side. (c) Female:
more chestnut above than female, dark marks and buff streaks Eyering blue, more distinctly streaked lower throat/breast than
on breast and mantle. VOICE Far-carrying double whistle with Blyth’s, bolder whitish spots/streaks below, usually distinctly rufes-
higher second note; usually in repetitive duet, producing rising, cent-tinged throat/neck; crown perhaps blacker with bolder pale
four-note sequence. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest, bam- streaks. Juvenile: As female but may be warmer with buff throat
boo; up to 1,500 m. RANGE Sc/un R south Tenasserim, W(south), and buff streaks on body. Males attain orange-red on neck during
S Thailand, Pen Malaysia. first year. VOICE 6–9 eerie moaning notes, terminated by short nasal
note: woh woah woaah waaah waaah waaah waaah gri-
2 CRESTED PARTRIDGE Rollulus rouloul 24–29.5 cm iiik. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest, secondary growth;
(a) Male: Glossy blackish; fan-like chestnut-maroon crest, red 2,135–3,050 m. RANGE Sc/un R N Myanmar, W Tonkin.
soft parts. (b) Female: Deep green, with dark grey hood, black-
ish nape, chestnut scapulars and rusty-brown wings with darker 7 HIMALAYAN MONAL Lophophorus impejanus 63–72 cm
vermiculations. No crest, but soft parts/forehead-plumes recall (a) Male: Long crest, rufous tail, largely purplish/turquoise
male. (c) Juvenile: Greyer than female, rufescent crown-sides, above, with white restricted to large back-patch. (b) Female:
buffish covert-spots. VOICE Melancholy upslurred whistled su- Short crest, plainer head than Sclater’s, contrasting all-white
il. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; up to 1,220 m. RANGE throat, variable whitish streaks below, narrow whitish uppertail-
Sc/lc R south Tenasserim, W(south), S Thailand, Pen Malaysia. covert band, narrower/buffier pale tail-tip. Juvenile: Darker
above than female, and streaked buff (crown almost uniform),
3 MOUNTAIN BAMBOO PARTRIDGE Bambusicola fytchii 35 cm more barred and less streaked below (including lower throat).
(a) Male fytchii: Long-tailed, pale supercilium, blackish post- First-winter male: Similar pattern of adult features to Sclater’s.
ocular stripe, chestnut-streaked neck/breast, large black markings VOICE Loud curlew-like upward-inflected whistles: kur-leiu;
below. Flight feathers distinctly chestnut. (b) Female: Postocular kleeh-vick etc., and higher kleeh notes. Similar kleeh-wick-
stripe brown. Juvenile: Buffier above than female, with larger dark kleeh-wick.., mixed with urgent kwick-kwick.. when
markings, less chestnut and some dark bars on breast. Other sub- alarmed. HABITAT As Sclater’s; recorded at 3,050 m (occurs
species B.f.hopkinsoni (SW,W Myanmar). VOICE Explosive shrill higher elsewhere). RANGE Ra R extreme N Myanmar.
chattering, which slows then dies away. Harsh tch-hherrrr calls.
HABITAT Grass, scrub, bamboo, secondary growth; 1,200–2,135 m. 8 SCLATER’S MONAL Lophophorus sclateri 63–68 cm
RANGE Co R W,N,E Myanmar, NW Thailand, N Laos, W Tonkin. (a) Male: White back to uppertail-coverts, white-tipped chestnut
tail, short crest, green/purple above, reddish-copper shoulders.
4 BLOOD PHEASANT Ithaginis cruentus M 44–48, f 40–42 cm (b) Female: Dark base colour to plumage, contrasting pale area
(a) Male marionae: Black head-sides, red forehead/throat, (blackish and whitish vermiculations) on back to uppertail-
greyish above with whitish streaks, green on coverts/tertials, red coverts (often washed buffish); blackish tail with whitish bars and
breast with black then pale green streaks, grey belly with green- rather broad whitish tip; crown/head-sides distinctly speckled and
ish streaks, red undertail-coverts with whitish markings, pale red streaked, throat-centre whitish. Juvenile: Darker above than
tail-fringes. (b) Female Brown with fine dark barring, grey nape. female with buff streaks. First-winter male: Some black on
Juvenile As female but may be buff-speckled above and buff- throat/undertail-coverts, paler back to uppertail-coverts, some-
streaked below. Males soon show some adult plumage. VOICE times a few odd glossy feathers above. HABITAT Open broadleaved
Shrill high hissing huewerrrr...hieu-hieu-hieu-hieu. Sharp and broadleaved/coniferous forest, forest edge, scrub, cliffs,
tchwik. HABITAT Broadleaf and mixed broadleaf/coniferous for- alpine meadows; 2,630–3,960 m. RANGE Un/lo R east N Myanmar.
est, bamboo; 2,590–3,355 m. RANGE Un/lfc R N Myanmar.
9 RED JUNGLEFOWL Gallus gallus M 65–78, f 41–46 cm
5 BLYTH’S TRAGOPAN Tragopan blythii M 65–70, f 58–59 cm (a) Male spadiceus: Maroon to golden-yellow hackles, maroon
(a,b) Male blythii: Orange-red and black head pattern, naked scapulars/lesser coverts, arched dark green tail. Red comb,
yellow face/throat, orange-red neck/upper breast, round white facial skin and lappets. (b) Male eclipse: Loses hackles after
and chestnut-red spots and buff-and-black bars above/on vent; breeding, tail shorter, comb and lappets reduced. (c) Female:
dull brownish-grey breast-/belly-patch. Blue-bordered yellow Quite uniform brown, short hackles, rather short/blunt dark tail,
throat-lappet extended in display. (c) Female: Greyish-brown bare pinkish face. Juvenile: Like female, but males are blacker
(warmer coverts/tail) with cryptic whitish, buff and blackish below and darker/plainer above. (d) Male gallus (NE[east-
markings; yellowish eyering. Juvenile: As female. Males attain red ern], SE Thailand, S Indochina): White ‘ear-patch’ (smaller on
on neck during first year. VOICE Males give loud, moaning ohh female). Other subspecies G.g.jabouillei (east N Laos, W,E
ohhah ohaah ohaaah ohaaaha ohaaaha ohaaaha... Tonkin, N Annam). VOICE Higher than domestic fowl, with last
HABITAT Oak and oak/rhododendron forest, bamboo; 1,830– syllable cut short. HABITAT Forest edge, open woodland; up to
2,600 m, locally to 1,525 m. RANGE Sc/un R W,N Myanmar. 1,830 m. RANGE Co R (except C Thailand), sc/un Singapore.

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PLATE 4 LOPHURA PHEASANTS


1 KALIJ PHEASANT Lophura leucomelanos M 63–74, 3 IMPERIAL PHEASANT Lophura imperialis M 75, f c.60 cm
f 50–60 cm (a) Male: Large, long-tailed, dark crest. (b) Female: Like Silver
(a) Male lathami: Blue-black; white-scaled lower back to (annamensis) but dark chestnut above, with greyish feather-tips/
uppertail-coverts, greyish/greenish legs. (b) Female: Dark, -centres (looks mottled), tail blackish-chestnut, centre of under-
with greyish-olive scales above (whiter on coverts), black out- parts warmer-tinged; short crest. Juvenile: As female but may have
ertail, chestnut-brown central tail, warm buff/whitish shaft- black spots on scapulars; males with patches of adult plumage (fully
streaks below, brown/greenish-grey legs. Juvenile: Differs as in adult after c.16 months). HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest;
Silver. (c) Male williamsi (W,C,S[north-west] Myanmar): below 200 m. RANGE Ra R N,C(north) Annam. NOTE Thought to be
Whitish vermiculations above, less obvious rump/uppertail- of hybrid origin (Edwards’s or Vietnamese x Silver Pheasant).
covert scales. (d) Female: Paler; pale brownish central tail,
black outertail with white vermiculations. Other subspecies 4 EDWARDS’S PHEASANT Lophura edwardsi 58–65 cm
L.l.oatesi (SW [south-east], S Myanmar west of Irrawaddy): (a) Male: Glossy dark blue; white crest, shorish tail, greenish-blue
Only faint grey scales on lower back to uppertail-coverts; resem- covert-fringes. (b) Female: Quite plain greyish-brown with warmer
bles Silver (lineata). Female resembles williamsi but less dis- scapulars and wings, blackish tail with dark brown (slightly warm)
tinct scales above, central tail may be browner with heavier central feathers. Juvenile male: As female, but patches of adult
markings, outertail mid-brown (or chestnut-tinged) with dark plumage; assumes complete plumage during first year. Juvenile
brown to blackish vermiculations, may have broader whitish female: As adult but may have black spots/bars on mantle and
streaks below (can also show dark either side of streaks) and coverts. VOICE Low guttural uk uk uk uk uk.. in alarm. HABITAT
some blackish vermiculations; may exhibit features approaching Broadleaved evergreen forest; below 300 m. RANGE Rl R C Annam.
Silver (lineata). VOICE Repeated high WHiiii in alarm, and sub-
dued but quite sharp whit-whit-whit... HABITAT Broadleaved 5 VIETNAMESE PHEASANT Lophura hatinhensis 58–65 cm
forests, bamboo; up to 2,590 m. RANGE Co R SW,W,N Myanmar (a) Male: White central tail. Female: Like Edwards’s. VOICE Like
and C,S Myanmar west of Irrawaddy R. Edwards’s. HABITAT As Edwards’s; below 200 m. RANGE Sl R
N,C(north) Annam. NOTE Probably conspecific with Edwards’s.
2 SILVER PHEASANT L.nycthemera M c.80–127, f 56–71 cm
(a) Male nycthemera (inc. rufipes, occidentalis, ripponi, 6 CRESTLESS FIREBACK L.erythrophthalma M 47–51,
jonesi, beaulieui; ?berliozi): White above with black chevrons/ f 42–44 cm
lines, red legs. Whitest in north-east. (b) Female: Plain-look- (a) Male erythrophthalma: Blackish-blue/-purplish, fine
ing brown (sometimes warmish) above, blackish-and-whitish- whitish vermiculations above/on breast-sides, shortish caramel-
barred outertail, broad blackish and white scales below coloured tail with dark base, greyish legs. (b) Female: Black-
(duller/buffier with browner scales to west/south-west). In E ish-bluish/-purplish with browner head, paler throat. Juvenile:
Tonkin, underparts like upperparts (tinged greyer) with whitish As female but body tipped rusty-brown. VOICE Low tak-takrau.
shaft-streaks and paler throat; tail may be rather plain with finer Vibrating throaty purr; loud kak in alarm. HABITAT Broadleaved
vermiculations on outer feathers. Other subspecies: Group 1 evergreen forest; lowlands. RANGE Un/lfc R Pen Malaysia.
(c) Male lineata (S Myanmar east of Irrawaddy, south E Myan-
mar, W, western NW Thailand) and crawfurdii (Tenasserim, 7 CRESTED FIREBACK L.ignita M 65–73.5, f 56–59 cm
south W Thailand): Much denser markings above, legs often (a) Male rufa: White-streaked flanks, white central tail, blue
dark grey/pinkish-brown (particularly lineata). (d) Female: facial skin, reddish legs. (b) Female: Dull rufous-chestnut; white-
Light scaling above, black-and-white V-shapes on hindneck, streaked breast, white-scaled blackish belly/vent. Juvenile
mostly dull chestnut breast/belly (blackish on crawfurdii) with female: No crest, may have black-barred nape to scapulars/
white streaks, paler central tail. Group 2 (e) Male lewisi (SE coverts. Subadult male: As adult but chestnut central tail, rufous
Thailand, SW Cambodia), engelbachi (S Laos), beli (C flank-streaks. VOICE Guttural UKHH-UKHH-UKHH.. in alarm.
Annam), and annamensis (C[southern], S Annam): Bolder (HH more metallic), mixed with lower uur notes. HABITAT
markings above than lineata, red legs. (f) Female lewisi: Broadleaved evergreen forest; up to 200 m, locally to 1,200 m.
Chestnut-tinged above with greyish scaling, greyer and relative- RANGE Ra/lc R south Tenasserim, S Thailand, Pen Malaysia.
ly plain below. Females of other races in this group have under-
parts like upperparts (warmer on engelbachi) with whitish 8 SIAMESE FIREBACK L. diardi M c.70–80, f 53–60 cm
shaft-streaks and paler throat (beli and engelbachi may have (a) Male: Long crest, mostly grey body, black-and-white barred
blackish and whitish vermiculations on lower breast to vent); scapulars/coverts, golden-buff back-patch, bluish-barred maroon
tail may be rather plain compared to nycthemera. Juvenile: As rump/uppertail-coverts and on purplish-black belly, blackish-green
female but may have black spots/bars on scapulars/coverts; tail. (b) Female: Boldly barred wings/tail, largely rufous-chestnut
males soon obvious. VOICE Grunting WWERK in alarm, and body and outertail, white-scaled belly/flanks. Juvenile: As female
WWERK wuk-uk-uk-uk.., with sharp HSSiik. Rising swii- but may have duller mantle with dark vermiculations, duller base
ieeik. Throaty wutch-wutch-wutch.. and UWH. HABITAT & colour below; males lack rufous/chestnut tones, and soon attain
BEHAVIOUR Broadleaved forests; up to 2,020 m. Often in small adult patches. VOICE Metallic tsik tik-tik tik tik tik.., grunting
flocks; usually shy. RANGE Un/lc R N(south-east),E,C & S (east of UKHT..UKHT..UKHT... HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen/semi-ever-
Irrawaddy) Myanmar, north Tenasserim, Thailand (except C,S), green forest, secondary growth; up to 800 m. RANGE Un/lc R
Indochina (except Cochinchina?). NW(eastern),NE,SE Thailand, Indochina (except W,E Tonkin).
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PLATE 5 PHEASANTS & GREEN PEAFOWL


1 MRS HUME’S PHEASANT Syrmaticus humiae M 91, f 60 cm P.b.ghigii (Vietnam). VOICE Loud airy PU PWOI (PWOI
(a) Male burmanicus: Chestnut with greyish-purple hood, white drawn/rising) from male. Growling rattles, then harsh/loud
wing-bars, dark-barred grey tail. (b) Female: Warm brown; notes: uhrrrrr uhrrrrr uhrrrruk orrokhokhokh OKH-
whitish wing-bars/underpart-scales/tail-tip. Other subspecies OKH-OKH-OKH ORKH-ORKH-ORKH ORKH-ORKH-
S.h.humiae (west of Irrawaddy R). VOICE Males give crowing cher- ORKH... HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; up to 2,320 m.
a-per, cher-a-per, cher cher, cheria, cheria. Sharp tuk tuk. RANGE Un/lfc R Myanmar, W,NW,NE,S(north) Thailand, north-
HABITAT Open broadleaved evergreen and oak/pine forest; 1,200– east Cambodia, Laos, W,E Tonkin, N,C(north) Annam.
2,285 m. RANGE Un/lfc R W,N,C,E,S(east) Myanmar, NW Thailand.
7 MALAYAN PEACOCK PHEASANT P.malacense M 52, f 42 cm
2 COMMON PHEASANT Phasianus colchicus M 75–91, f 57 cm (a) Male: Warmish brown; greenish ocelli, long crest, pale
(a) Male elegans: Purple-green neck/breast, chestnut body orange face-skin, dark ear-coverts. (b) Female: Less distinct
with black streaks/bars, dark-barred brown tail, green-grey ocelli, no obvious crest, indistinct paler scales above. Juvenile:
coverts, back and rump. (b) Female: Rufous/buffish above with As female. Male as adult by first summer but with darker ocelli,
blackish markings, buffy below with blackish-scaled breast/ plainer breast and glossless crest. VOICE Loud slow PUU
flanks. Juvenile: Like female. (c) Male takatsukasae (north- PWORR. Explosive cackle, then throaty clucks: TCHI-TCHI-
east E Tonkin): White collar, copper-maroon breast. Female TCHAO-THAO..wuk-wuk-wuk-wuk-wuk... Loud harsh
plainer/buffier below than elegans. Other subspecies TCHOWW. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; up to 305 m.
P.c.rothschildi (north-west E Tonkin): Male’s neck/breast more RANGE Un/lc R south Tenasserim, S Thailand (E?), Pen Malaysia.
purple. VOICE Explosive korrk-kok from males. Loud gogOK
gogOK... alarm. HABITAT Clearings, secondary growth, grass; 8 CRESTED ARGUS Rheinardia ocellata M 190–239, f 75 cm
1,220–1,830 m. RANGE Lo R N,E Myanmar, E Tonkin. (a) Male nigrescens: Dark brown, speckled whitish; brown-and-
white eyebrow/crest. (b) Female: Warm brown; black bars above,
3 LADY AMHERST’S PHEASANT Chrysolophus amherstiae shorter crest. (c) Male ocellata (Indochina): Crest shorter/
M 130–173 cm, f 63.5–68 cm browner, eyebrow white, foreneck chestnut, tail more chestnut/
(a) Male: Black-scaled white ruff, green mantle/breast, white grey. Female greyer than nigrescens; finer/more intricate mark-
belly, long black-barred white tail. (b) Female: Boldly dark- ings, white eyebrow. Juvenile: Initially as female. Male soon shows
barred. Juvenile: Duller crown and barring than female, buff some adult features (full plumage in third year). VOICE R.o.ocella-
and dark grey tail-bars, narrower buff flight feather barring. ta: Territorial call at dancing ground is loud WOO’O-WAO (rising
Males attain adult plumage from first autumn. VOICE Males utter then louder). Also repeated far-carrying disyllabic oowaaaa etc.
loud grating hirk hik-ik, interspersed with 1–3 quick hwik Yelping pook alarm. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; 790–
notes (introduction or encore?). HABITAT Open broadleaved 1,100 m; 0–1,500 m in Indochina (1,700–1,900 m S Annam).
evergreen forest; 1,525–2,440 m. RANGE Un/lo R N,E Myanmar. RANGE Sc/vl R Pen Malaysia. Sc/lc R C,S(east) Laos, N,C,S Annam.

4 MOUNTAIN PEACOCK PHEASANT Polyplectron inopinatum 9 GREAT ARGUS Argusianus argus M 160–203, f 72–76 cm
M 65, f 46 cm (a) Male argus: Naked blue on head/neck, warm brown above
(a) Male: No crest or pale facial skin, very chestnut above, with with fine pale speckles/mottling, mostly dark chestnut below,
small bluish ocelli, blackish below, whitish-speckled head/neck. very long secondaries and very long white-spotted tail. (b)
(b) Female/juvenile: Ocelli smaller and black, tail shorter. Female Head and neck like male, complete rufous-chestnut col-
VOICE 1–4 fairly loud harsh clucks/squawks (c.0.5 s apart), every lar, less distinct markings above, duller and plainer below, much
5–6 s. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; 800–1,600 m, shorter barred tail, much shorter secondaries. Juvenile As
rarely 600 m. RANGE Un R extreme S Thailand, Pen Malaysia. female. Male soon develops longer speckled tail. VOICE Male ter-
ritorial call is loud KWAH-WAU (WAU louder/longer). Female
5 GERMAIN’S PEACOCK PHEASANT P.germaini M 58, f 48 cm gives 25–35 loud WAU notes, latterly longer, more upward-
(a) Male: Smaller/darker than Grey, darker ocelli (more greenish- inflected. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; up to 950 m.
blue but often look darker purple), red facial skin. (b) Female: RANGE Un/lc R south Tenasserim, S Thailand, Pen Malaysia.
Darker/plainer than Grey, more defined ocelli, no obvious pale
scales above, reddish facial skin. Juvenile: Ocelli blacker/fainter 10 GREEN PEAFOWL Pavo muticus M 180–250, f 100–110 cm
than female; faintly pale-scaled coverts, plainer below. VOICE Faster (a) Male imperator: Green, scaled blackish, long neck, tall
and higher than Grey: erraarrrrrr....erraarrrrrakak....aarrrr- crest, extremely long train with colourful ocelli. (b) Female:
akh-akh-akh-akh...AKH-AKH-AKH-AKH... HABITAT Broadleaf Duller, lacks train. Juvenile: Duller than female. Second-year
evergreen and semi-evergreen forest, bamboo; up to 1,400 m. male similar to adult but lacks ocelli on train. Other subspecies
RANGE Lc R east Cambodia, C(south), S Annam, Cochinchina. P.m.spicifer (west of Irrawaddy R), muticus (Tenasserim/S
Thailand southward). VOICE Territorial males utter loud KI-WAO;
6 GREY PEACOCK PHEASANT P.bicalcaratum M 56–76, females loud AOW-AA (AOW stressed). HABITAT Open forest
f 50 cm (mainly by rivers/wetlands); up to 915 m. RANGE Vl R N,C,S Myan-
(a) Male bicalcaratum: Greyish; white throat, green/purple mar, W,NW Thailand, Cambodia, N,S Laos, N,C,S Annam,
ocelli above, pink face-skin. (b) Female: Darker/plainer; less Cochinchina. FR (currently?) SW,W,E Myanmar, Tenasserim, C
distinct ocelli. Juvenile: As female. Other subspecies Laos. FR (E) NE,S Thailand, Pen Malaysia.
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PLATE 6 GEESE, SHELDUCKS, WHITE-WINGED DUCK & COMB DUCK


1 SWAN GOOSE Anser cygnoides 81–94 cm brownish-grey hindcrown to hindneck, greyish lores and upper
(a,b) Adult: Bill thick-based, blackish; dark brown crown and foreneck. VOICE Soft nasal, repeated, honking oh-wa, aah-aah
hindneck, contrasting pale creamy-brownish lower head-sides, and ooh-ah etc. Notes somewhat lower, more nasal and wider-
throat and foreneck, narrow whitish frontal band (borders bill- spaced than other geese. HABITAT Large rivers, lakes, arable
base). Wing pattern recalls Greater White-fronted. (c) Juvenile: fields, grassy areas; up to 400 m. RANGE Ra/sc WV W,N(lc),C,S
Crown/hindneck duller, no frontal band. VOICE Prolonged Myanmar. V north Tenasserim, NW Thailand, N Laos, E Tonkin.
resounding honks, ending at higher pitch. 2–3 short harsh notes
in alarm. HABITAT Banks of large rivers, marshy freshwater wet- 7 RUDDY SHELDUCK Tadorna ferruginea 61–67 cm
land margins; recorded at 450 m. RANGE V NW Thailand, N Laos. (a,b) Male breeding: Largely orange-rufous, mostly creamy-
buff head, narrow black collar. Blackish wings with contrasting
2 BEAN GOOSE Anser fabalis 75–90 cm whitish coverts. Male non-breeding: Collar faint/absent. (c)
(a,b) Adult middendorffii: Black bill with pale orange subter- Female: No collar, head buffier with whiter face. Juvenile: As
minal band, rather dark head/neck, orangey legs. In flight shows female but head/upperparts strongly washed greyish-brown,
darker upperwing-coverts than Greylag, uniform dark under- duller below. VOICE Typically, rolling, honking aakh and trum-
wing. Juvenile: Duller orange bill-band and legs. VOICE May give peted pok-pok-pok-pok... HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Large rivers,
fairly deep hank-hank or wink-wink in flight. HABITAT Large lakes; up to 900 m. Normally in flocks. RANGE Lc WV Myanmar.
rivers, lakes; recorded in lowlands. RANGE V N Myanmar. V W(coastal),NW,C,NE Thailand, N Laos, E Tonkin, N Annam.

3 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser albifrons 8 COMMON SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna 58–67 cm
65–75 cm (a,b) Male: Looks black-and-white; green-glossed hood, chest-
(a,b) Adult albifrons: Pinkish bill, broad white frontal patch, nut breast-band, red bill with large basal knob. Male eclipse:
irregular black belly-patches, orangey legs. In flight, darker Bill knob smaller, face mottled whitish, less defined breast-band.
upperwing-coverts than Greylag, all-dark underwing. (c) Juve- (c) Female: Smaller; bill duller with no knob, head/neck duller,
nile: No frontal patch or belly-patches. Smaller/smaller-billed face marked with white, breast-band thinner/duller. Female
than Greylag, darker (particularly head/neck), more orangey eclipse: Duller/greyer; more white face markings, even less dis-
legs. VOICE In flight, repeated musical lyo-lyok (pitch varies), tinct breast-band. May resemble juvenile. Juvenile: Largely
higher than Greylag and Bean. HABITAT Lakes, rivers, grain fields, brownish head, neck and upperparts, whitish face, eyering and
grassy areas; lowlands. RANGE V W,E Myanmar. foreneck, no breast-band, all whitish below, white-tipped flight
feathers, dull pinkish bill. VOICE Female utters rapid gag-ag-ag-
4 LESSER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser erythropus ag-ag...; male thin low whistles. HABITAT Large rivers, lakes,
53–66 cm coastal mudflats; up to 400 m. RANGE V SW,N,C,S Myanmar, NW,C
(a,b) Adult: Smaller than Greater, shorter body, neck and legs, Thailand, N Laos, E Tonkin, C Annam.
smaller and brighter pink bill, yellow eyering, rounder head
(forecrown steeper/higher), white frontal patch extends further 9 WHITE-WINGED DUCK Cairina scutulata 66–81 cm
onto crown and ends in more of a point. Wings project notice- (a,b) Male: All dark with black-speckled whitish hood (can be
ably beyond tail-tip at rest (not or only slightly projecting in mainly white), mostly yellowish bill; white coverts contrast with
Greater); rather darker overall (mainly head/neck) with small- black primaries. Female: Smaller/slightly duller, usually denser-
er black belly-patches (usually) and clearer white line along mottled hood. Juvenile: Duller/browner, initially pale brownish
inner edge of flanks. (c) Juvenile: From Greater by propor- head/neck. VOICE Vibrant honks in flight, often ending with nasal
tions, primary projection, darker coloration. VOICE Flight calls whistle. Single short harsh honks. HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Pools
quicker/squeakier than Greater, typically repeated kyu-yu-yu. and rivers in forest, freshwater swamp forest; up to 800, rarely
HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Freshwater lakes, marshes; recorded at 1,500 m. Not gregarious; mostly nocturnal feeder. RANGE Ra/lo
c.800 m. Walks/feeds faster than Greater. RANGE V E Myanmar. R N Myanmar, W,NE,S Thailand, Cambodia, C,S Laos, N,S Annam,
Cochinchina; formerly NW Thailand. FR (currently?) SW,W,C,E,S
5 GREYLAG GOOSE Anser anser 78–90 cm Myanmar, Tenasserim, Pen Malaysia.
(a,b) Adult rubrirostris: Pink bill/legs, quite pale plumage,
plain head/neck, no belly-patches (only speckles). Pale coverts 10 COMB DUCK Sarkidiornis melanotos 56–76 cm
in flight. Juvenile: Duller bill and legs, no dark belly-speckles. (a) Male non-breeding melanotos: Black-speckled hood,
VOICE Deeper than other geese. Loud clanging honking aahng- grey flanks, broad knob (comb) on dark bill; dark wings. Male
ahng-ung in flight. HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Lakes, rivers, estuar- breeding: Much larger comb, buffy head-/neck-sides. (b,c)
ies, arable fields, grassy areas; lowlands. Usually in flocks; may Female: Smaller; duller above, no comb. (d) Juvenile: Mostly
associate with other geese. RANGE Ra/lo WV N,C Myanmar, E dark brown upperside, dark brown eyestripe, rest of head, neck
Tonkin; formerly N,C Annam. V NW Thailand, C Laos. and underparts washed brownish-buff with some dark markings
on breast-sides/flanks. VOICE Occasional low croaks. Wheezy
6 BAR-HEADED GOOSE Anser indicus 71–76 cm whistles and grunts when breeding. HABITAT Freshwater lakes
(a,b) Adult: Striking black-and-white pattern on head and and marshes; lowlands. RANGE Ra/sc R (some movements) N,C,S
neck, yellow bill and legs; pale wing-coverts contrast with dark Myanmar, Cambodia. Ra WV NW,NE,C Thailand, Cochinchina. V
flight feathers above and below. (c) Juvenile: Rather uniform C Laos, E Tonkin. FR (currently?) SW,E Myanmar.
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PLATE 7 WHISTLING-DUCKS, COTTON PYGMY-GOOSE & TYPICAL DUCKS


1 FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCK Dendrocygna bicolor 45–53 cm 6 SUNDA TEAL Anas gibberifrons 36–43 cm
(a,b) Adult: Rich dark rufous head/underparts, crown hardly (a,b) Adult albogularis: Dark brown; white eye-patch and
darker than head-sides, bold streaked neck-patch, blackish line throat-patch (or just a white eyering), dark grey bill (sometimes
down hindneck, bold white flank-streaks, white uppertail- some pink); darker underwing than female Common. (c) Adult
coverts; uniform-looking upperwing. Juvenile: Duller/greyer; variant: Much white on head/neck. VOICE Male gives clear low
greyish uppertail-coverts, less obvious neck/flank markings. preep; female loud high laughing quacks. HABITAT Lakes,
VOICE Repeated thin whistled k-weeoo. Harsh kee. HABITAT marshes, coastal wetlands; lowlands. RANGE Fo (currently?)
Lowland lakes, large rivers, marshes. RANGE Ra R (local move- Coco Is, S Myanmar. V mainland S Myanmar.
ments) S Myanmar. FR (currently?) C Myanmar. Rc (status?)
N,SW,E Myanmar, Tenasserim, Cochinchina. 7 GARGANEY Anas querquedula 36–41 cm
(a,b) Male: Bold white supercilium, pale grey, dark-vermicu-
2 LESSER WHISTLING-DUCK Dendrocygna javanica lated flanks, elongated grey, black and white scapulars. Mostly
38–41 cm bluish-grey upperwing-coverts, secondaries bordered by
(a,b) Adult: Brown head, dark cap, brownish-rufous below, broad white bands. Male eclipse: As female but no defined
reddish-chestnut lesser wing-/uppertail-coverts, centre of hind- white line below eyestripe, throat whiter; retains wing colour
neck only slightly darker than neck-sides, faint flank-streaks. and pattern. (c,d) Female: Bold head pattern. Dark crown,
Juvenile: Duller; crown often paler, more greyish-brown. VOICE narrow whitish supercilium, large whitish loral patch extend-
Incessantly whistled whi-whee, usually when flying (wings also ing in line below blackish eyestripe, dark cheek-bar, whitish
make whistling sound). HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Lakes, marshes; up throat. In flight, grey tinged upperwing-coverts, secondaries
to 1,450 m. Often in large flocks. RANGE Lc R, subject to some with little green gloss and narrower white borders; distinctly
movements (except W Tonkin, N Annam); sc Singapore. dark leading edge to underwing-coverts (also male). (e)
Juvenile: Darker than female with less defined head pattern;
3 WANDERING WHISTLING-DUCK D.arcuata 40–45 cm dark markings on belly. VOICE Male utters a dry rattling
(a,b) Adult arcuata: Larger than Lesser, blackish-brown of knerek, female a short high quack. HABITAT Lakes, marshes,
forecrown reaches eye-level, prominent blackish line down various wetlands; up to 800 m. RANGE Sc/lc WV (except W
hindneck, richer chestnut flanks with large black-and-white Tonkin).
markings, white outer uppertail-coverts, duller upperwing-
coverts. Juvenile: Duller; paler belly, less distinct flank pattern. 8 BAIKAL TEAL Anas formosa 39–43 cm
VOICE High twittering pwit-wit-ti-t-t-t.. and high whistles. (a) Male: Striking buff, green, white and black head, pinkish
HABITAT Freshwater lakes/marshes. RANGE Sc FER Singapore. breast, grey flanks with white band at front/rear, black under-
tail-coverts. (b) Male eclipse: As female but darker/warmer
4 COTTON PYGMY-GOOSE Nettapus coromandelianus 35 cm mantle-fringing, warmer breast and flanks, duller loral spot.
(a,b) Male coromandelianus: Small; blackish cap, breast- (c,d) Female: From Garganey by isolated round loral spot,
band/collar, upperparts (glossed green) and vent, white head- whitish band from below/behind eye to throat, broken super-
sides/neck and underparts. grey-washed flanks; rounded wings cilium (buffier behind eye), buffish-white line at side of under-
with broad white band. Male eclipse: Greyish-washed head- tail-coverts. In flight (both sexes), warm-tipped greater coverts,
sides/neck, darker eyestripe, greyish-mottled breast/flanks, no blacker leading edge to underwing than Common. (e) Juve-
obvious breast-band/collar. Retains wing pattern. (c,d) Female: nile: As female but buffier/larger loral spot; dark mottled (not
Black eyestripe, duller/browner above, duller neck and under- plain) whitish belly-centre. VOICE Deep wot-wot-wot.. from
parts with darker mottling (mainly breast), vague breast- males; low quack from females. HABITAT Freshwater lakes; low-
band/collar, pale vent; narrow white trailing edge to secondaries. lands. RANGE V N Myanmar, NW,C Thailand.
Juvenile: As female but head-sides duller, eyestripe broader,
looks unglossed above. VOICE Male gives cackling WUK-wirrar- 9 COMMON TEAL Anas crecca 34–38 cm
rakWUK-wirrarrakWUK-wirrarrak..; female a weak quack. (a) Male crecca: Chestnut head with buff-edged dark green
HABITAT Freshwater lakes/marshes; up to 800 m. RANGE Sc/lc R, eye-patch, buffish patch on blackish vent; horizontal white
subject to local movements (except SE Thailand, Singapore, W scapular line. (b,c) Female: Relatively plain-headed; narrow
Tonkin, N Annam). Sc NBV Singapore. buffish-white line on side of undertail-coverts. In flight, sec-
ondaries have broad white band at front and narrow band at
5 MANDARIN DUCK Aix galericulata 41–49 cm rear, underwing extensively white, with darker leading edge
(a) Male Bulky head, reddish bill, long pale supercilium, erect (male has greyer upperwing-coverts). Male eclipse: As
orange-rufous wing-sails. Male eclipse: As female but reddish female but darker/more uniform above, larger markings
bill, less obvious ‘spectacles’, shaggier neck, more glossy above. below, eyestripe faint/absent. Juvenile: As female but plainer
(b,c) Female: Greyish head, white spectacles, whitish streaks/ above, belly speckled dark; may show darker ear-coverts.
spots on breast/flanks, pinkish-greyish bill; upperwing quite uni- VOICE Liquid preep-preep.. from males; sharp high quack
form with white-tipped greenish secondaries. (d) Juvenile: from females when flushed. HABITAT Lakes, large rivers, marsh-
Browner than female, faint spectacles, diffuse breast/flank es, various wetlands; up to 1,830 m. RANGE Un/lc WV (except
markings. HABITAT Freshwater lakes and pools; up to 400 m. Tenasserim, SE,S Thailand, Pen Malaysia, Singapore, S Laos, S
RANGE V C Myanmar, NW,C Thailand, W Tonkin. Annam, Cochinchina). V Pen Malaysia, Singapore.
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PLATE 8 DABBLING DUCKS


1 GADWALL Anas strepera 46–56 cm streaked, flanks more streaked (less scaled), bill initially most-
(a) Male: Greyish; black vent, blackish bill. Square white patch ly dull reddish/orange. VOICE Male gives rasping kreep; female
on inner secondaries. Male eclipse: Like female but greyer and mocking QUACK-QUACK-QUACK-quack-quack-quack...
more uniform above; retains tertial and upperwing colour and HABITAT Lakes, large rivers, marshes; up to 420 m. RANGE Ra WV
pattern. Bill can be all dark (see female Falcated). (b,c) N(un/lc),C,E Myanmar, NW Thailand. V E Tonkin.
Female: Smaller/more compact than Mallard, head squarer
with less contrasting pattern, bill finer and blackish with orange 5 SPOT-BILLED DUCK Anas poecilorhyncha 55–63 cm
sides. White patch on secondaries obvious in flight. Juvenile: As (a,b) Male haringtoni: Yellow-tipped black bill, red loral spot,
female but richer brown below, breast more distinctly streaked; pale head with blackish crown and eyestripe, spotted
contrasts more with grey head and neck. White patch on sec- breast/flanks. White-bordered dark green secondaries, largely
ondaries may be faint on females. VOICE Courting males utter white tertials, demarcated white underwing-coverts. Female:
short nheck and low whistle; females a repeated gag-ag-ag- Loral spot indistinct/absent, usually smaller markings below.
ag... HABITAT Freshwater lakes, marshes; up to 800 m. RANGE Juvenile: Browner/less distinctly marked below than female, no
Sc/un WV W,N(lc/c),C,E,S Myanmar, north Tenasserim, NW loral spot. (c,d) Adult zonorhyncha (rc N Myanmar?): No loral
Thailand, E Tonkin. V C,W(coastal) Thailand, Singapore. spot, dark cheek-band, dark body, mostly dark tertials, usually
dark bluish secondaries with indistinct white border. Other
2 FALCATED DUCK Anas falcata 48–54 cm subspecies A.p.poecilorhyncha (SW,W Myanmar?): Male has
(a) Male: Mostly greyish; glossy green and purple head, white larger red loral spot, paler head-sides, neck and breast, bolder
throat/foreneck with black band, long black and whitish tertials, underpart markings. Female differs as male but normally shows
black-bordered yellowish-white patch on vent-side; grey upper- small red loral spot. VOICE Descending quark notes. HABITAT
wing-coverts contrast with greenish-black secondaries. Male Lakes, large rivers, marshes; up to 800 m. RANGE Un/lfc R (some
eclipse: Darker above than female, breast/flanks richer brown; movements) N,C,E,S Myanmar, Cambodia, S Laos, E Tonkin,
wing pattern retained but tertials shorter. (b,c) Female: Dark Cochinchina. Sc/un WV NW,NE,C,SE Thailand, N Laos; ? N Myan-
grey bill, quite plain greyish-brown head, rather ‘full’ nape, mar. Rc (status?) N,C Annam.
dark-scaled rich brown breast/flanks, white-bordered dark sec-
ondaries, white underwing-coverts. Juvenile: As female but 6 NORTHERN SHOVELER Anas clypeata 43–52 cm
buffier, greyer tips to greater coverts. VOICE Short low whistle fol- (a,b) Male: Huge bill, dark glossy green head, white underparts
lowed by wavering uit-trr, and deep nasal bep. HABITAT Low- with chestnut sides; largely blue upperwing-coverts, bold white
land lakes and marshes. RANGE Ra/un WV SW,N,C,E Myanmar, underwing-coverts. (c) Male eclipse: Flanks/belly more rufous
NW,NE,C Thailand, N Laos, E Tonkin, C Annam. than female, body markings blacker, upperwing-coverts bluer.
(d,e) Female: Huge orange-edged bill; crown and eyestripe not
3 EURASIAN WIGEON Anas penelope 45–51 cm sharply contrasting; bluish-grey on upperwing-coverts. Juve-
(a,b) Male: Bright chestnut head with yellowish median stripe, nile male: As juvenile female but upperwing similar to adult.
pinkish breast, black vent, white centre of abdomen and rear Immatures can resemble sub-eclipse adults. Juvenile female:
flanks, black-tipped pale grey bill. Large white patch on wing- Darker crown than female, paler and more spotted below, faint
coverts, greyish underwing with whiter greater/primary coverts. greater covert bar, glossless secondaries. VOICE Hollow liquid
Male eclipse: Head and breast warmer than female; keeps sluk-uk or g’dunk from courting males; descending gak-
white wing-patch. (c,d) Female: Rather plain brown (breast gak-gak-ga-ga from females. HABITAT Lakes, large rivers,
and flanks more chestnut), rounded head, black-tipped pale marshes; up to 800 m. RANGE Un WV Myanmar (except W), Thai-
grey bill. In flight, looks uniform below with contrasting white land (except SE,S), E Tonkin. V Pen Malaysia, Singapore, Cam-
belly/vent; upperwing-coverts paler and greyer than rest of wing. bodia, C Annam, Cochinchina.
Juvenile: As female but almost glossless secondaries, brown
mottling on belly. VOICE Piercing whistled wheeooo and more 7 NORTHERN PINTAIL Anas acuta 51–56 cm
subdued whut-whittoo from males; growling krrr from (a,b) Male: Dark chocolate-brown head, white of breast
females. HABITAT Lakes, marshes, large rivers; up to 800 m. extending in line up and behind ear-coverts, long forming
RANGE Sc/un WV Myanmar (except Tenasserim), NW,NE,C Thai- single point tail-streamers; extensively dark underwing-coverts.
land, N Laos, E Tonkin. V S Thailand, Pen Malaysia, Singapore, Male eclipse: Greyer above than female, grey tertials; retains
Cambodia, C Annam, Cochinchina. bill and wing colour/pattern. (c,d) Female: Slender grey bill,
plain head, longish neck; extensively dark underwing-coverts.
4 MALLARD Anas platyrhynchos 50–65 cm Upperwing-coverts duller than male, secondaries much
(a) Male platyrhynchos: Yellowish bill, purplish-green head, duller/browner, greater covert tips whiter. Juvenile: Darker
white collar, purplish-brown breast; greyish upperwing-coverts. above than female, bolder flank pattern. VOICE Low preep-
(b) Male eclipse: Like female but breast more chestnut, bill preep from males; weak descending quacks and low croaks
dull yellowish. (c,d) Female: Dull orange bill with uneven dark from females. HABITAT Lakes, large rivers, marshes; up to 800 m.
markings, contrasting dark eyestripe. Darkish wing-coverts, RANGE Un/lc WV SW,W,N,E,C,S Myanmar, north Tenasserim,
white-bordered dark blue secondaries, pale underwing. Juve- W,NW,NE,C Thailand, Cambodia, N,C Laos, E Tonkin, N,C Annam,
nile: As female but crown/eyestripe blackish, breast neatly Cochinchina. V S Thailand, Pen Malaysia, Singapore.

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PLATE 9 RED-CRESTED POCHARD & DIVING DUCKS


1 RED-CRESTED POCHARD Rhodonessa rufina 53–57 cm 5 TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula 40–47 cm
(a) Male: Red bill, bulky orange-rufous head, black breast and (a) Male: Blackish with white flanks, purplish-glossed head,
tail-coverts, white on flanks. Male eclipse: As female but bill drooping crest, grey bill with whitish band and black tip. (b) Male
red, eyes reddish. (b,c) Female: Plain brownish; dark crown eclipse: Browner black; greyish flanks, small crest, duller bill.
(extends around eye), contrasting whitish head-sides and fore- (c–e) Female: Dark brown with paler flanks, slight nuchal
neck, pink-tipped dark bill; quite pale brown wing-coverts, tuft/bump, yellow eyes, often some white on face at sides of bill-
broad whitish band across flight feathers, largely whitish under- base; less extensive white upperwing-band than other Aythya
wing (male similar but upperwing-coverts darker). Juvenile: As ducks (same on male). Undertail-coverts can be white. Juvenile:
female but bill all dark. VOICE Usually silent. Courting male gives As female but somewhat paler head/upperparts (crown dark),
rasping wheeze; female utters a grating chatter. HABITAT & BEHAV- pale area on lores, little or no crest, browner eyes (particularly
IOUR Freshwater lakes and marshes, large rivers; up to 800 m. female). VOICE Low vibrant whistled wheep-wee-whew from
Mainly feeds by diving, sometimes by up-ending and head-dip- courting males; growling err err err.. from females. HABITAT
ping. RANGE Sc/un WV N,C,E Myanmar. V C Thailand, E Tonkin. Lakes, large rivers; up to 1,300 m. RANGE Sc/un WV W,N(lfc),C,E,S
Myanmar, NW,NE,C Thailand, E Tonkin. V S Thailand, Pen
2 COMMON POCHARD Aythya ferina 42–49 cm Malaysia, Singapore, C Annam.
(a) Male: Grey with chestnut hood, and black lower neck,
breast and tail-coverts. Bill blackish with pale bluish-grey band. 6 GREATER SCAUP Aythya marila 42–51 cm
Upperwing-coverts purer grey than female. (b) Male eclipse: (a) Male marila: Bluish-grey bill with small black tip, rounded
Duller/browner overall. (c,d) Female non-breeding: Mottled green-glossed head, pale grey above; greyish upperwing-coverts.
greyish-brown; dark undertail-coverts, peaked head, pale spec- Male eclipse: Browner head, neck and breast, darker/brown-
tacles and facial/throat markings, dark eyes; greyish upperwing er vermiculations above, faintly grey and brown vermiculated
without white band. Female breeding: Body somewhat plain- flanks; may show whitish patch on lores and/or ear-coverts.
er/browner, head-sides somewhat plainer. Juvenile: Duller than (b,c) Female: Broad white face-patch (encircling bill-base),
female, more uniform above, all-dark bill, much plainer head usually some grey vermiculations on upperparts and flanks,
(may lack obvious spectacles). VOICE Repeated soft wheezy pee undertail-coverts always dark. Broader white upperwing-band
from courting males; harsh krrr from females. HABITAT Fresh- than Tufted (also male). (d) Female worn (summer): Pale
water lakes; up to 800 m. RANGE Ra/sc WV N(lc),C,E Myanmar, patch on ear-coverts. Juvenile: Initially less white on face than
NW Thailand, E Tonkin. V C Thailand. female, but usually a whitish patch on ear-coverts, no grey ver-
miculations on upperparts and flanks, flanks buffier. VOICE
3 FERRUGINOUS POCHARD Aythya nyroca 38–42 cm Courting male utters soft cooing and whistling; female gives a
(a) Male: Rich chestnut; blackish above, white eyes, domed harsh gruff arr arr arr... HABITAT Lowland lakes, coastal waters.
head, white undertail-coverts. More white on upperwing-bar RANGE V N Myanmar, NW Thailand, E Tonkin.
than other Aythya ducks, defined white on belly. Male
eclipse: Only slightly brighter than female, eyes white. (b,c) 7 COMMON GOLDENEYE Bucephala clangula 42–50 cm
Female: More chestnut-brown, eyes dark. Juvenile: Head- (a,b) Male clangula: Greenish-black head, white loral spot,
sides, foreneck, flanks and upperparts paler than female, belly breast and underparts; large white upperwing-patch, small white
and sides of undertail-coverts mottled brown. VOICE Short patch on underside of secondaries. Male eclipse: Head a little
chuk and soft wheeoo from courting males; snoring err err darker than female, usually a trace of loral spot; retains bill and
err.. and harsh gaaa from females. HABITAT Freshwater lakes, wing colour/pattern. (c,d) Female: Rather dark greyish;
marshes, large rivers; up to 800 m. RANGE Ra/un WV whitish collar, dark brown head, yellow eyes, blackish bill with
SW,W,N(lc),C,E,S Myanmar, W,NW,NE,C Thailand, E Tonkin. V pale yellowish band. Upperwing-patch bisected by two narrow
W Thailand. black bands. Juvenile: Duller/browner body than female, no
collar, all-dark bill. Males attain white on lores during first win-
4 BAER’S POCHARD Aythya baeri 41–46 cm ter. VOICE Whistles and grating notes from courting males; be-
(a) Male: Greenish-black hood, whitish eyes, rich chestnut- beeezh (when head-tossing), followed by low rattle. Harsh
brown breast, chestnut-brown sides with white on foreflanks, berr or graa from females. HABITAT Lowland lakes, large rivers;
white undertail-coverts. In flight, white upperwing-band extends found in plains. RANGE Ra/sc WV N,C Myanmar.
less onto outer primaries than on Ferruginous. Male eclipse:
As female but eyes whitish. (b,c) Female: Dark brown hood 8 SMEW Mergellus albellus 38–44 cm
(contrasts with warm brown breast), no nuchal tuft, usually a (a) Male: Mostly white, black face- and nape-patches, black
diffuse dark chestnut loral patch, dark eyes, often some whitish lines above/on breast-sides. Male eclipse: As female but keeps
throat-mottling, duller breast and flanks, less white on foreflanks wing pattern. (b,c) Female/juvenile: Small size/bill, greyish
(may be hidden when swimming). Juvenile: Head more chest- with chestnut crown/nape, blackish lores, white lower head-
nut-tinged than female with darker crown and hindneck; lacks sides/throat. Broad white upperwing-covert band, narrower
defined loral patch. HABITAT Lakes, large rivers and their deltas; bands bordering secondaries. VOICE Courting male utters low
up to 800 m. RANGE Sc/lo WV Myanmar (except Tenasserim), croaks and whistles; female low growling notes. HABITAT Lakes,
NW,C Thailand, E Tonkin. V S Thailand. large rivers; up to 450 m. RANGE V W,N Myanmar.

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PLATE 10 PINK-HEADED DUCK, MERGANSERS, GREBES & LOONS


1 PINK-HEADED DUCK Rhodonessa caryophyllacea 60 cm underparts, dark eyes. Only narrow whitish tips to secondaries.
(a,b) Male: Large and long-necked, peaked crown, deep pink (c) Adult breeding: Head-sides, throat and foreneck dark
head/neck, blackish-brown throat-centre, foreneck and most of rufous-chestnut, flanks rich dark brown, eyes yellow, bill black-
remaining plumage, pinkish bill. Pale brownish-buff secondar- ish with prominent yellow gape. Juvenile: As adult non-breed-
ies, whitish leading edge to wing-coverts, largely pale pink ing but dark-striped head-side. Other subspecies capensis
underwing. (c) Female: Duller; head/neck pale greyish-pink, (Myanmar): More white on secondaries. VOICE Shrill whinnying
crown/hindneck washed brownish, bill duller. Juvenile: Body trill on breeding grounds. Sharp bee-eep and wit or bit notes.
duller brown than female with fine whitish fringing. VOICE Male HABITAT Lakes, pools, various wetlands; up to 1,450 m. RANGE
utters weak whizzy whistle, female a low quack. HABITAT & Un/c R (local movements) throughout.
BEHAVIOUR Pools and swamps in open forest/grassland; low-
lands. Shy; sometimes flocks when not breeding. Dabbles and 6 GREAT CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus 46–51 cm
dives. RANGE Rc SW,N,C Myanmar. Last confirmed sighting 1908. (a,b) Adult non-breeding cristatus: Long neck, rather long
pink bill, white head-sides/foreneck and underparts, black loral
2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER Mergus serrator 52–58 cm stripe, grey-brown flanks. In flight, neck extends forwards, feet
(a,b) Male: Thin-based slender bill, red eyes, shaggy crest, protrude backwards, white leading edge to upperwing, scapular
white collar, black-streaked rufescent lower neck/breast, white- band and secondaries. (c) Adult breeding: Blackish crest,
spotted black breast-sides. Large white upperwing-patch bisect- rufous-chestnut and blackish ‘head-frills’, rufescent flanks.
ed by two black lines. Male eclipse: Mantle blacker than Juvenile: As adult non-breeding but head-sides striped brown.
female, retains wing pattern and red eyes. (c,d) Female: Rufes- VOICE Harsh, rolling aooorrr and chattering kek-kek-kek.. on
cent hood with untidy crested appearance, paler throat/foreneck breeding grounds. HABITAT Lakes, large rivers; up to 1,000 m.
(not demarcated), pale and dark loral lines, variable pale eyer- RANGE Ra/un WV N,C,E Myanmar. V NW Thailand.
ing; reddish-brown eyes, brownish-grey body with vaguely pale-
scaled flanks. Smaller white upperwing-patch bisected by single 7 HORNED GREBE Podiceps auritus 31–38 cm
line. Juvenile: As female but bill duller, crest shorter, breast and (a,b) Adult non-breeding: Flatter-crowned than Black-necked,
central underparts greyer. VOICE Males display-call is weak thicker/straighter bill (tip often pale), black cap demarcated from
chika...pitchee; female gives grating prrak prrak prrak... white head-sides at eye-level, thinner line down hindneck, pale
HABITAT Sea coasts. RANGE V E Tonkin. loral spot. Upperwing shows small white shoulder-patch and white
secondaries. (c) Adult breeding: Outstanding black and gold
3 SCALY-SIDED MERGANSER Mergus squamatus 52–58 cm ‘head-frills’, reddish-chestnut foreneck/underparts. Juvenile:
(a,b) Male: Like Red-breasted but longer crest, brown eyes, Browner than adult non-breeding, dusky facial band. VOICE Feeble
white breast and flanks with dark grey scales on latter; shows trembling hii-arrr or nasal rattling joarrrh. Whinnying trill in
more white on lesser upperwing-coverts. Nostrils almost midway diminishing pulses, during display. HABITAT Large rivers; lowlands.
along bill (rather than near base). Male eclipse: Darker above RANGE V N Myanmar.
than female, retains wing pattern. (c,d) Female: Longer crest
than Red-breasted, brown eyes, unmarked lores and orbital 8 BLACK-NECKED GREBE Podiceps nigricollis 28–34 cm
area, grey scales on whitish lower breast-sides/flanks; purer grey (a,b) Adult non-breeding nigricollis: Pointed, uptilted dark
above. Juvenile: Flanks may be more uniformly grey than bill, peaked crown, blackish around red eye, white nape-sides/
female. VOICE Similar to Red-breasted. HABITAT Large rivers, throat, greyish neck-band and flanks; white secondaries/inner
lakes; up to 500 m. RANGE V NW Thailand, W,E Tonkin. primaries. (c) Adult breeding: Black head/neck, golden flash
from eye, chestnut flanks. Juvenile: As adult non-breeding but
4 COMMON MERGANSER Mergus merganser 61–72 cm head-sides/foreneck may be washed buffish. VOICE Fluty rising
(a,b) Male comatus: Long slender red bill (thicker-based than poo-eeet and short whistled wit. Shrill trilled tsssrrroooeep
other Mergus), dark eyes, greenish-black hood, ‘full’ nape, in display. HABITAT Large rivers, lakes, coastal waters; lowlands.
white below with pinkish flush. Large plain white upperwing- RANGE RA WV N Myanmar. V E Tonkin.
patch. Male eclipse: Mantle darker than female, flanks whiter;
keeps wing pattern. (c,d) Female: Rufous-chestnut hood, 9 YELLOW-BILLED LOON Gavia adamsii 77–90 cm
demarcated white throat, slightly shaggier nape than male; oth- (a,b) Adult non-breeding: Could be confused with swimming
erwise greyish, with white central underparts. Upperwing-patch juvenile cormorants. Thick pointed ivory-/yellowish-white bill
smaller. Juvenile: Duller than female; pale loral stripe, slightly (usually held upward) with dark on culmen, thick head/neck,
less demarcated throat. VOICE Courting male repeats a soft frog- very steep forehead, blackish-brown crown/hindneck, shadowy
like kuoorrp kuoorrp... and similar drruu-drro; female half-collar, white below. Greyish-brown above/along flanks, with
gives harsh skrrak skrrak etc. HABITAT Large rivers, rarely blackish mottling. (c) Adult breeding: Black head/neck with
lakes; up to 1,135 m. RANGE Un/fc WV east N Myanmar. black-striped white patches, black above with white chequers
and spots; yellower-tinged more uniformly pale bill. (d) Juve-
5 LITTLE GREBE Tachybaptus ruficollis 25–29 cm nile: Paler/browner than adult non-breeding, neatly scaled
(a,b) Adult non-breeding poggei: Stocky and duck-like, ruf- above/along flanks. HABITAT Large rivers; recorded in plains.
fled rear end, mostly pale bill, mostly brownish-buff head-sides/ RANGE V N Myanmar (one sight record).

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PLATE 11 WRYNECKS, PICULETS & SMALLER TYPICAL WOODPECKERS


1 EURASIAN WRYNECK Jynx torquilla 16–18 cm 6 BAMBOO WOODPECKER Gecinulus viridis 25–26 cm
(a) Adult torquilla: Cryptic pattern; grey-brown with dark (a) Male viridis: Greyish-olive above, red crown/nape, red
central stripe above, buffy-white with dark bars below, heavily rump/uppertail-covert tips, olive-brown below. (b) Female: No
barred wings/tail. Juvenile: Duller, darker, more barred above, red on head. Juvenile: Darker/browner than female, often grey-
fainter bars below. VOICE Ringing quee-quee-quee-quee- ish-tinged below. Other subspecies G.v.robinsoni (S Thailand
quee... (notes fall in pitch) from males. Repeated tak or kek southwards). VOICE Shrill kyeek-kyeek-kyeek-kyeek.. etc.
notes. HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Dry open areas, secondary growth, from male. Short loud drums. Dry cackle, slower than Bay; occa-
scrub, grass, cultivation; up to 2,285 m. Often feeds on ground. sionally bik notes. HABITAT Bamboo, broadleaved forest; up to
RANGE Un/fc WV Myanmar, Thailand (except S), N,C,S(sc) Laos, 1,400 m. RANGE Un R S,E Myanmar, Tenasserim, Thailand
W,E Tonkin, Cochinchina(sc). Also PM N Myanmar. (except C), Pen Malaysia, south-west N Laos.

2 SPECKLED PICULET Picumnus innominatus 7 BUFF-RUMPED WOODPECKER Meiglyptes tristis 17 cm


9–10.5 cm (a) Male grammithorax: Densely barred; whitish-buff lower
(a) Male malayorum: Bold olive-slate and white head-pattern, back/rump. (b) Female: No red submoustachial. Juvenile:
black-barred rufous-buff forehead, whitish below with blackish Darker; narrower pale body-barring, obscurely marked below.
spots/bars. (b) Female: Olive-slate forehead. Juvenile: As VOICE Male utters trilled ki-i-i-i-i-i-i. Weak drumming. Sharp
respective adults but bill pale. (c) Male chinensis (Tonkin): pit, longer pee. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest, second-
Crown, ear-coverts and submoustachial cinnamon-brown. VOICE ary growth; up to 760 m. RANGE Co R south Tenasserim, S Thai-
Territorial call is high ti-ti-ti-ti-ti. Tinny drumming. Sharp land, Pen Malaysia; formerly Singapore.
tsit and squeaky sik-sik-sik. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen
and mixed deciduous forest, secondary growth, bamboo; up to 8 BLACK-AND-BUFF WOODPECKER M.jugularis 17–19 cm
1,935 m (915–1,370 m in Pen Malaysia). RANGE Co R (except (a) Male: White nuchal-patch, dark throat. (b) Female: No red
SW Myanmar, C,SE Thailand, Singapore). submoustachial. Juvenile: Duller; clearer head-barring. VOICE
Males give rattling tititititit’weerk’weerk’weerk.., some-
3 RUFOUS PICULET Sasia abnormis 8–9.5 cm times mixed with nasal ki’yew. HABITAT More open broadleaved
(a) Male abnormis: Yellowish forehead, pink eyering, green- evergreen/semi-evergreen forest, bamboo; up to 915 m. RANGE
ish-olive above, rufous head/below. (b) Female: Forehead Un/lfc R SW,S,E Myanmar, Tenasserim, W,NW,NE,SE Thailand,
rufous. (c) Juvenile: Dull olive above (mantle washed slaty), Indochina (except W,E Tonkin).
brownish-slate below; dark bill. May show rufous on chin, belly
and vent. VOICE High kik-ik-ik-ik-ik.. from male. Drums like 9 BUFF-NECKED WOODPECKER Meiglyptes tukki 21 cm
White-browed. Sharp tic or tsit. HABITAT Bamboo, broadleaved (a) Male tukki: Narrowly barred, plain head, pale buff neck-
evergreen forest, secondary growth; up to 1,370 m. RANGE Fc/c patch. (b) Female: No red submoustachial. Juvenile: Pale bars
R south Tenasserim, S Thailand, Pen Malaysia. broader, upper breast paler. Male may show red on crown or
forehead. VOICE High trilled kirr-r-r from male. Both sexes
4 WHITE-BROWED PICULET Sasia ochracea 8–9.5 cm drum. High ti ti ti ti.., single pee. HABITAT Broadleaved ever-
(a) Male reichenowi: White supercilium, rufescent-olive man- green forest; up to 1,100 m. RANGE Un/fc R south Tenasserim,
tle/scapulars, buffish-rufous below. (b) Female: Forehead rufous. S Thailand, Pen Malaysia; formerly Singapore.
Juvenile: Like Rufous. (c) Male hasbroucki (Tenasserim, S Thai-
land): Blackish eyering. Other subspecies S.o.ochracea (N,E 10 GREY-AND-BUFF WOODPECKER Hemicircus concretus
Myanmar to N Indochina): More dark olive crown/mantle (looks 14 cm
collared), deeper rufous below. VOICE High trilled chi rrrrrrrrra (a) Male sordidus: Very small; short tail; red crown, pointed
from male. Tinny drumming: tit trrrrrrrrit. Sharp chi. HABITAT crest, sooty-greyish, whitish-buff scales above. (b) Female:
Bamboo, broadleaved forest, secondary growth; up to 1,910 m. Greyish crown. Juvenile: Scaling buffier and more prominent,
RANGE Fc/c R (except C,SE,southern S Thailand, Pen Malaysia, Sin- black-tipped cinnamon-rufous crown; some red on crown.
gapore). VOICE Drums weakly. Calls with high drawn-out kee-yew, sharp
pit notes, vibrating chitterr. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen
5 PALE-HEADED WOODPECKER Gecinulus grantia 25 cm forest; up to 1,130 m. RANGE Un R south Tenasserim, W(south),
(a) Male indochinensis: Maroon-chestnut above, pinkish-red S Thailand, Pen Malaysia; formerly Singapore.
crown-patch, barred wings. (b) Female: No crown-patch.
Juvenile: As female but mostly dark brown above, darker/grey- 11 HEART-SPOTTED WOODPECKER H.canente 15–17 cm
er below. (c) Male grantia (Myanmar): Redder crown-patch/ (a) Male: Very small; short tail; pointed crest, white lower
upperparts, yellower head-sides, more olive below, less wing- scapulars/tertials with black heart-shapes. (b) Female: White
barring. VOICE Strident laughing YI wee-wee-wee from males. forecrown. Juvenile: As female but whitish parts buffier, often
Shortish, quite loud, full, even drumming. Harsh grrrit-grrrit- some black bars on forehead. VOICE Drums weakly. Calls with
grrrit etc. HABITAT Bamboo, broadleaved evergreen and semi- nasal ki-YEW, high kee-kee-kee.., grating chur-r, squeaky
deciduous forest; up to 1,900 m. RANGE Ra/un R SW,W,N,C Myan- chirrick etc. HABITAT Broadleaved forests, bamboo; up to
mar, north NW Thailand (ra), north-east Cambodia, Laos, 915 m. RANGE Fc R Myanmar (except W,N,C), Thailand (except
Vietnam. C and southern S), Cambodia, Laos, S Annam, Cochinchina.
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PLATE 12 DENDROCOPOS WOODPECKERS


1 SUNDA PYGMY WOODPECKER D.moluccensis 13 cm crown, female some on crown-centre. VOICE Rapid kik-kik-
(a) Male moluccensis: Browner above than Grey-capped, dull kik-r-r-r-r-h from males. Drums. Sharp click-click, feeble
brownish crown, broad dark greyish-brown ear-covert band and peek notes. HABITAT Deciduous woodland, scattered trees in
defined submoustachial, broader but more diffuse streaks open country; up to 915 m. RANGE Ra/un R SW,W,C,S Myanmar,
below. Female: No red on crown. Juvenile: Duller/browner C Thailand, east Cambodia, S Laos, S Annam.
and less obviously streaked below, mostly pale lower mandible.
Male has more orangey crown-streak. VOICE Male territorial call 6 RUFOUS-BELLIED WOODPECKER D.hyperythrus
is sharp trilled kikikikikiki or whirring trrrrr-i-i. HABITAT 19–23 cm
Mangroves, coastal scrub, locally parks/gardens. RANGE Un/lc R (a) Male hyperythrus: Red crown/nape, white face, deep
(mostly coastal) Pen Malaysia, Singapore (also inland). rufous below, red undertail-coverts. (b) Female: White-spotted
black crown/nape. Juvenile: Dark-streaked head-sides,
2 GREY-CAPPED PYGMY WOODPECKER D.canicapillus duller/paler below with blackish bars; orange-red on crown
14 cm (male more). Subadult has blackish-barred, whitish-mottled
(a) Male canicapillus: Small; brownish-grey crown (black- throat/breast. Other subspecies D.h.subrufinus (Tonkin):
edged), ear-covert band and faint submoustachial, dark-streaks 25 cm; paler/browner below, pinker vent. D.h.annamensis (NE
below, short red streak on rear crown-side. (b) Female: No red Thailand, S Indochina): Paler rufous below. VOICE Rattling chit-
on crown. Juvenile: Darker; heavier streaks below. Male often chit-chit-r-r-r-r-h from males. Both sexes drum. Fast ptiki-
has more extensive orange-red on head. (c) Male kaleensis (N tititit... HABITAT Broadleaved and coniferous, locally deciduous
Myanmar, N Indochina): Larger; blacker mantle, buffier below. forest; 600–3,100 m. RANGE Sc/un R W,N,C,E Myanmar,
Other subspecies D.c.delacouri (south-eastern Thailand, W,NW,NE Thailand, Cambodia, S Annam. Sc WV W,E Tonkin.
Cambodia, Cochinchina); auritus (S Thailand southwards).
VOICE Rattling tit-tit-erh-r-r-r-r-h (usually preceded by call) 7 CRIMSON-BREASTED WOODPECKER D.cathpharius 17 cm
from males. Subdued drumming. Short kik or pit, squeaky (a) Male tenebrosus: Black above, white wing-patch, red hind-
kweek-kweek-kweek. HABITAT Broadleaf forests, secondary crown/nape, heavy streaks below, red on breast and vent. (b)
growth, coastal scrub; up to 1,830 m (lowlands Pen Malaysia). Female: No red on head, smaller/duller breast-patch. Juvenile:
RANGE Co R (except Singapore). Duller above, whiter below with diffuse streaks and no red, red
of vent paler/lacking; orange-red on hindcrown and nape (more
3 FULVOUS-BREASTED WOODPECKER D.macei 17–18 cm on male). (c) Male pyrrhothorax (W Myanmar): All-red nape,
(a) Male longipennis: Red crown, extensively barred above, more black on neck. (d) Female pyrrhothorax: More black on
streaks/bars on whitish underparts, pinkish vent. (b) Female: neck. VOICE Fast descending rattle from males. Also drums. High
Black crown. Juvenile: Duller; pink/red of undertail-coverts tchik, shrill kee-kee-kee. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen for-
paler/less extensive, red on crown-centre (more on male). (c) est; 1,200–2,800 m. RANGE Sc/un R W,C,N,E Myanmar, NW Thai-
Male macei (W,N Myanmar): 18.5–21 cm; buffish below, red- land, N Laos, W Tonkin.
der vent, darker flank-bars, black central tail. (d) Female: As
male but black crown/nape. VOICE Male territorial call is a rapid 8 DARJEELING WOODPECKER D.darjellensis 23.5–25.5 cm
pik pipipipipipipipipi. Drums weakly. Loud tchik or pik, (a) Male: Long bill, little red on crown, black above, white
soft chik-a-chik-a-chit. HABITAT Deciduous woodland, scat- wing-patch, rich buff below with bold streaks. (b) Female: All-
tered trees in open country, gardens, plantations; up to 600 m, black crown. Juvenile: No golden-buff on neck-side, duller
locally 1,220 m. RANGE Un/fc R Myanmar, NW,W,C Thailand, below with faint throat-streaks, paler/duller red undertail-
Cambodia, C,S Laos, S Annam, Cochinchina. coverts. Male has pale flame-red on most of crown, female some
on centre or none. VOICE Fast rattled di-di-di-d-dddddt from
4 STRIPE-BREASTED WOODPECKER D.atratus 20.5–22 cm male. Both sexes drum (like Great Spotted). Loud tsik, like
(a) Male: Like Fulvous-breasted (race macei) but upper man- Great Spotted. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; 1,525–
tle unbarred, uniform distinct streaks below. (b) Female: Black 2,800 m. RANGE Un R W,N Myanmar, north W Tonkin.
crown and nape. Juvenile: Paler/greyer and less distinctly
streaked below, more flame-red undertail-coverts; some red on 9 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER D.major 25.5–28 cm
crown (more on male but paler). VOICE Whinnying rattle from (a) Male cabanisi: Black above, white wing-patch, brownish-
territorial males. Loud tchik, similar to Great Spotted. HABITAT white below, red on hindcrown/vent. (b) Female: Black crown.
Broadleaved evergreen forest; 800–2,200 m, locally down to Juvenile: Duller above, crown red with black edgings, sub-
230 m. RANGE Fc/c R SW,W,S,E Myanmar, Tenasserim, W,NW,NE moustachial ill-defined, band behind ear-coverts may be broken,
Thailand, Laos, southern C Annam. duller below, flanks often streaked, lower flanks may be barred,
pinker vent (can be buffy/whitish). Other subspecies
5 YELLOW-CROWNED WOODPECKER D.mahrattensis 18 cm D.m.stresemanni (W,N Myanmar): Darker/browner head-
(a) Male aurocristatus: Forecrown brownish-yellow, hind- sides/underparts, may show red on breast. VOICE Male territori-
crown red; dense white bars/spots above, no black on head, al call is a kix-krrarraarr. Both sexes drum. Call is a sharp
brown streaks below, red belly-centre. (b) Female: Yellowish- kix. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; 1,000–2,745 m,
brown hindcrown. Juvenile: Browner above, diffuse streaks sometimes down to 450 m in winter. RANGE Sc/un R W,N,E Myan-
below, pinker belly-patch. Male has some orange-red on hind- mar, N Laos, W,E Tonkin. WV only in parts of E Tonkin.
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PLATE 13 PICUS WOODPECKERS


1 BANDED WOODPECKER Picus miniaceus 25.5–27 cm 5 CHECKER-THROATED WOODPECKER P.mentalis 28 cm
(a) Male malaccensis: Red-rufous ear-coverts, warm-washed (a) Male humii: Olive crown, chestnut neck/upper breast,
neck/breast, barred body and primaries. (b) Female: Browner rufous-red wings, barred primaries. (b) Female: Dull chestnut
head-side with whitish speckles. Juvenile: Dull brown crown neck and upper breast. Juvenile: Browner on crown and below,
(red rear), plainer body. Other subspecies P.m.perlutus (W duller wings. VOICE Male utters series of wi notes. Short drums;
Thailand): Narrower dark bars below. VOICE Falling peew or kyick and KIyee..KIyee..KIyee... HABITAT Broadleaf ever-
kwee notes from male. Short keek. HABITAT Broadleaved ever- green forest; up to 1,220 m. RANGE & STATUS Un/co R south
green forest, secondary growth; up to 915 m. RANGE Un/fc R Tenasserim, S Thailand, Pen Malaysia; formerly Singapore.
south Tenasserim, W,S Thailand, Pen Malaysia, Singapore.
6 STREAK-BREASTED WOODPECKER P.viridanus 31–32 cm
2 LESSER YELLOWNAPE Picus chlorolophus 25–28 cm (a) Male viridanus: Neck-sides and throat duller olive than
(a) Male chlorolophus: Red crown-side and submoustachial, Laced, throat and upper breast streaked. (b) Female: Black
white moustachial, bars below. (b) Female: Red on hindcrown crown and nape. Juvenile: Duller; fainter markings below,
only. Juvenile: Crown/nape duller, bolder breast-bars; male more scaled-looking flanks/belly; male’s crown more orangey.
without submoustachial. (c) Male rodgeri (Pen Malaysia): Red Other subspecies P.v.weberi (south of c.12°N): 28–31 cm;
crown (blackish-tipped centre), darker below, narrow pale darker body. VOICE Explosive kirrr. Series of 4 or more tcheu
bars. (d) Male krempfi (Cochinchina): Mostly red crown, notes. HABITAT Lowland broadleaved evergreen forest, man-
darker above, whiter belly/vent. Other subspecies P.c.lao- groves. RANGE Un/lfc R SW,S,C,south E Myanmar, Tenasserim,
tianus (east NW,north NE Thailand, N Laos)/citrinocristatus W,S Thailand, extreme north-west Pen Malaysia.
(Tonkin, N Annam): Males redder-crowned; latter almost lacks
submoustachial, darker below, bars on flanks only. P.c.anna- 7 LACED WOODPECKER Picus vittatus 27–33 cm
mensis (south NE,SE Thailand, southern Laos, C,S Annam): Like (a) Male: Red crown, blackish submoustachial, plain yellow-
krempfi. VOICE Far-carrying peee-ah from males. <10 slightly ish-olive neck/throat/upper breast, dark streaks/loops on belly.
descending kwee or kee notes. May drum. Short chak. HABITAT (b) Female: Black crown/nape. Juvenile: Duller; scalier belly,
Broadleaved forest; up to 1,830 m (above 1,065 m in Pen can have faint throat/breast-streaks; male crown with less, paler
Malaysia). RANGE Co R (except C,S Thailand, Singapore). red. VOICE Male’s call faster than Grey-headed (notes
shorter/lower). Steady drum. Abrupt ik. HABITAT Broadleaved
3 CRIMSON-WINGED WOODPECKER Picus puniceus forest, mangroves, plantations, bamboo; up to 1,525 m (low-
24–28 cm lands Pen Malaysia, Singapore). RANGE Un/co R E Myanmar,
(a) Male observandus: Red crown/submoustachial/wings, Tenasserim, Thailand (except S), southern Pen Malaysia (and
plain mantle and breast, blue eyering. (b) Female: No sub- Langkawi Is), Singapore, Indochina (except W,E Tonkin).
moustachial, paler/plainer below. Juvenile: Duller/greyer; red
of head restricted to hindcrown, white-speckled head- 8 STREAK-THROATED WOODPECKER P.xanthopygaeus
sides/underparts. Males submoustachial much smaller/lacking. 29 cm
VOICE PEE-bee or PEE-hee-hee-hee from territorial males. (a) Male: Pale eyes, white supercilium, little black on submous-
Also peep or falling pi-eew. Weak drums. HABITAT Broadleaved tachial, streaked ear-coverts/neck/throat/breast. (b) Female:
evergreen forest, secondary growth, plantations; up to 825 m Black crown/nape, grey-streaked crown. Juvenile: Duller;
(below 600 m in Thailand). RANGE Fc/co R south Tenasserim, fainter markings below (more scaled/barred belly); male has less
W(south),S Thailand, Pen Malaysia; formerly Singapore. red on crown/nape, female fainter crown-streaks. VOICE Drums.
Sharp queemp. HABITAT Deciduous forest, scattered trees; up to
4 GREATER YELLOWNAPE Picus flavinucha 31.5–35 cm 500 m, locally higher in Myanmar. RANGE Sc/co R W,C,E,S Myan-
(a) Male lylei: Rufescent crown, yellow throat, streaked fore- mar, W,NW(west),NE(south-west) Thailand, Cambodia, S Laos,
neck, barred primaries. (b) Female: Olive hindcrown, rufes- Cochinchina.
cent chin/submoustachial, streaked/mottled throat. Juvenile:
Duller below, may show faint belly-bars. Male initially has olive- 9 GREY-HEADED WOODPECKER Picus canus 30.5–34.5 cm
scaled crown, more buffy-whitish throat. (c) Male wrayi (Pen (a) Male hessei: Red forecrown, black hindcrown, grey head-
Malaysia): Smaller/darker, defined yellow chin/submoustachial, sides, black loral/submoustachial stripes. (b) Female: Grey-
crown duller with olive at rear, crest shorter with less yellow. (d) streaked black crown. Juvenile: Duller body; vaguely mottled
Female: Darker, more uniform below, crest differs as male. (e) mantle/scapulars, less defined submoustachial; sometimes
Male flavinucha (Myanmar, W Thailand): Rufescent fore- bars/mottling on belly; male has less red on forecrown. Other
crown, darker neck-/breast-sides. Other subspecies subspecies P.c.robinsoni (Pen Malaysia): Much darker body,
P.f.archon (east NW,north NE Thailand, Laos, W Tonkin, N,C,S darker grey head-sides, longer/thinner bill. P.c.sobrinus (E
Annam) and pierrei (south NE,SE Thailand, Cambodia, Tonkin): Golden-tinged above, greener below. P.c.sordidior (north
Cochinchina): Black streaks go further up throat on males. E Myanmar). VOICE Male territorial call is descending >3 note
P.f.styani (E Tonkin). VOICE Drums infrequently. Loud disyllab- kieu... kieu...kieu... Long drums. Short kik and keek..kak-
ic kyaa or kiyaep. HABITAT Broadleaved forest, locally pine for- kak-kak. HABITAT All kinds of open forest; up to 2,135 m
est; up to 2,745 m (above 915 m in Pen Malaysia). RANGE Co R (915–1,830 m in Pen Malaysia). RANGE Sc/fc R (except C,S Thai-
(except C,S Thailand, Singapore). land, Singapore, N Annam).
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PLATE 14 MISCELLANEOUS WOODPECKERS


1 RUFOUS WOODPECKER Celeus brachyurus 25 cm 6 COMMON FLAMEBACK Dinopium javanense 28–30 cm
(a) Male phaioceps: Red cheek-patch; short black bill, speck- (a,b) Male intermedium: Single black submoustachial, all-
led throat. (b) Female: No cheek-patch. (c) Male squamigu- black hindneck, no black on lores/crown-side. (c) Female:
laris (S Thailand southwards): Heavier marked throat, barred White-streaked black crown. Juvenile: Blacker-brown breast
belly. (d) Male fokiensis (Tonkin, N Annam): Creamy head, with white spots, fainter belly-scales. Male mostly black on fore-
heavy crown/throat-streaks, darker body. Female creamier- head/crown, red crest; female more spotted than streaked
headed and darker below than phaioceps. (e) Male anna- crown. Other subspecies D.j.javanense (S Thailand south-
mensis (southern Indochina, N Laos): Darker-headed than fok- wards). VOICE Long, trilled ka-di-di-di-di-di-di.. (faster/less
iensis. VOICE Laughing kweep-kweep-kweep from males. metallic than Greater). Softer drums than Greater. 1–2 kow
Also, slightly descending and accelerating series of notes. Drum- notes, kowp-owp-owp-owp in flight. HABITAT Open deciduous
ming slowly grinds to halt: bdddddd d d d dt. HABITAT forest, gardens, plantations, mangroves; up to 800 m (locally
Broadleaved forest, secondary growth; up to 1,450 m (below higher Myanmar). RANGE Un/co R (except N Myanmar).
1,050 m in Thailand/Pen Malaysia). RANGE Un/co R throughout.
7 BLACK-RUMPED FLAMEBACK D.benghalense 26–29 cm
2 RED-COLLARED WOODPECKER Picus rabieri (a) Male benghalense: Black throat/rump/forehead-streaks.
30–32 cm (b) Female: White-streaked black forecrown. Juvenile: Dull;
(a) Male: Red hood with olive-greyish head-sides/throat, fainter markings below. Male has red-tipped crown, sometimes
whitish belly-bars. (b) Female: Forehead/crown blackish, less white spots; female little/no forecrown spotting. VOICE Whinny-
red on submoustachial. Juvenile: Duller than female; immature ing kyi-kyi-kyi-kyi... Strident kierk. HABITAT Open wood-
male with orange-red on head/upper breast, crown mixed black. land, plantations; lowlands. RANGE Co R SW Myanmar.
VOICE Drums in short, fast, rattling rolls. HABITAT Broadleaved
evergreen forest, secondary growth; up to 1,050 m. RANGE Sc/un 8 GREATER FLAMEBACK Chrysocolaptes lucidus 29–32 cm
R north-east Cambodia, Laos, W,E Tonkin, N,C Annam. (a,b) Male guttacristatus: Long bill, submoustachial loop,
white centre of hindneck. (c) Female: White-spotted black
3 BLACK-HEADED WOODPECKER Picus erythropygius crown. Juvenile: More olive above, duller/more obscurely
33 cm marked below; male has less red and pale spotting on crown.
(a) Male nigrigenis: Black head, red crown-patch, yellow Other subspecies C.l.chersonesus (Pen Malaysia): Smaller,
neck/throat, red rump. (b) Female: Black crown. Juvenile: slightly more olive above, more red on back, broader supercili-
Duller above, paler throat, buffier upper breast, diffusely scaled um/underpart markings. VOICE Rapid metallic monotone tititi-
below; male’s crown-patch washed out. Other subspecies titititit... Loud drums. Single kik notes. HABITAT Broadleaved
P.e.erythropygius (NE Thailand, Indochina): Male has smaller forests, mangroves, old plantations; up to 1,200 m. RANGE Co R
crown-patch. VOICE Undulating yelping ka-tek-a-tek-a-tek- (except C Thailand); local/coastal Pen Malaysia.
a-tek.. from male. Loud double call. HABITAT Dry dipterocarp,
deciduous and pine forest; up to 1,000 m. RANGE Sc/un R C,S,E 9 MAROON WOODPECKER Blythipicus rubiginosus 24 cm
Myanmar, north Tenasserim, W,NW,NE Thailand, Cambodia, C,S (a) Male: Plain maroon-chestnut upperparts, blackish tail with
Laos, C(south-west),S Annam, north Cochinchina. faint pale bars. Red neck-patch, often red on submoustachial.
(b) Female: No red on head. Juvenile: Warmer above; may
4 OLIVE-BACKED WOODPECKER Dinopium rafflesii show red on crown. VOICE Shrill descending keek-eek-eek-
28 cm eek-eek-eek from males. High wavering kik-kik-kik-kik-
(a) Male rafflesii: Like flamebacks but body olive. (b) Female: kik-kik... Nervous kik notes, or kik-ik...kik-ik. HABITAT
Black crown. Juvenile: Duller; red on male’s head only on crest, Broadleaved evergreen forest, secondary growth, bamboo; up to
forehead can be spotted red. VOICE Male utters slow, varied chak 1,525 m (below 900 m in Thailand). RANGE Co R south
chak chak chak chak-chak.. (6–30+ notes) or faster, more Tenasserim, W(south),S Thailand, Pen Malaysia; formerly Sin-
regular 10–50 note series. Single chak, soft trilled ti-i-i-i-i, gapore (one recent unconfirmed record).
squeaky tiririt. HABITAT Broadleaf evergreen forest; up to
1,200 m. RANGE Sc/un R south Tenasserim, W(south),S Thai- 10 BAY WOODPECKER Blythipicus pyrrhotis 26.5–29 cm
land, Pen Malaysia; formerly Singapore. (a) Male pyrrhotis: Long bill; paler head, black bars above, red
neck-patch. (b) Female: No red on neck. Juvenile: Head dark-
5 HIMALAYAN FLAMEBACK Dinopium shorii 30 cm er with paler crown-streaks, bolder bars above, darker below
(a) Male anguste: As Common but redder mantle, brownish with faint rufous bars; male with less (duller) red on neck. (c)
submoustachial, lighter breast markings. (b) Female: From Male cameroni (Pen Malaysia): Darker; smaller neck-patch.
Common by submoustachial loop; from Greater by streaked Other subspecies B.p.annamensis (S Annam): Similar to
crown, black hindneck. Juvenile: Browner; more obscurely cameroni. VOICE Harsh descending laughter: keek keek-keek-
marked below. Red of male’s head only on crest, forehead/ keek-keek-keek. Cackling dit-d-d-di-di-di-di-dit-d-d-di-
crown brown, streaked paler; female has broadly pale-streaked di.., squirrel-like kecker-rak-kecker-rak.., loud chattering
brown crown. VOICE Similar to Greater, but somewhat slower and kerere-kerere-kerere.. in alarm. HABITAT Broadleaved forest;
quieter. HABITAT Deciduous and semi-evergreen forest; up to to 2,745 m (above 1,065 m Pen Malaysia). RANGE Co R (except C
1,220 m. RANGE Un R SW,W,N,C,S Myanmar. Myanmar, C,SE,S Thailand, Singapore).
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PLATE 15 LARGE WOODPECKERS & BARBETS


1 WHITE-BELLIED WOODPECKER Dryocopus javensis 40 cm 6 RED-VENTED BARBET Megalaima lagrandieri 29.5–34 cm
(a) Male feddeni: Large size, black and white plumage, red (a) Adult lagrandieri: Large, darkish bill, brownish head with
crown, crest and submoustachial band. (b) Female: Red on head greyish sides/throat, blue eyebrow, red undertail-coverts. (b)
restricted to hindcrown. Juvenile: Duller with paler throat; male Juvenile: Uniform greyish-brown head, but orange-red fore-
with black-mottled forecrown, smaller red submoustachial. Other head-tuft. Other subspecies M.l.rothschildi (W,E Tonkin, N
subspecies D.j.forresti (N Myanmar, north W Tonkin): 43.5–47 Annam). VOICE Strident, throaty choa or chorwa (every 1–2
cm. D.j.javensis (S Thailand southwards): Black rump (juvenile seconds). Descending uk uk-ukukukukukuk.. (often with
may show some white). VOICE Staccato kek-ek-ek-ek-ek and former in duet). Grating grrric..grrric....grrric... HABITAT
kiau-kiau-kiau. Loud accelerating drums (both sexes). Explo- Broadleaved evergreen/semi-evergreen forest; up to 1,900 m.
sive keer or kyah. HABITAT Broadleaved forests, locally coniferous RANGE Un/co R north-eastern Cambodia, C,S Laos, Vietnam.
forest, mangroves. Up to 915 m (to 1,450 m S Annam); above
1,525 m N Myanmar and north W Tonkin. RANGE Sc/lfc R (except 7 LINEATED BARBET Megalaima lineata 27–28 cm
C Thailand, N Laos, E Tonkin, N Annam); rare Singapore. (a) Adult hodgsoni: Thick yellowish bill, broad whitish head-
and breast-streaks, yellow eyering. VOICE Male territorial call is
2 ORANGE-BACKED WOODPECKER Reinwardtipicus loud mellow poo-poh (poh higher), about once a second.
validus 30 cm Rapid bubbling koh-koh-koh-koh-koh... HABITAT Deciduous
(a) Male xanthopygius: Long-neck; red crown/underparts, forest, scattered trees in open areas, plantations; up to 1,220 m
pale dorsal stripe. (b) Female: Blackish crown, whitish (below 800 m Thailand, lowlands Pen Malaysia). RANGE Co R
back/rump, grey-brown below. Juvenile: Like female; male (except south Pen Malaysia, Singapore, W,E Tonkin, N Annam).
sometimes with some red on crown and orange-buff on rump.
VOICE Trilled ki-i-i-i-i-i-ik. Drums in short, quite weak bursts. 8 GREEN-EARED BARBET Megalaima faiostricta 25–27 cm
Squeaky anxious kit kit kit kit kit-it (sharply rising last (a) Adult faiostricta: Mostly dark bill, dark around eye, green
note). HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; up to 730 m. RANGE ear-coverts, all-green mantle, red spot on breast-side. Other
Un R S Thailand, Pen Malaysia; formerly Singapore. subspecies M.f.praetermissa (E Tonkin). VOICE Throaty took-
a-prruk (more than once a second) from male. Mellow fluty,
3 GREAT SLATY WOODPECKER Mulleripicus pulverulentus rising pooouk. HABITAT Broadleaved forests; up to 1,015 m.
48 cm RANGE Co R Thailand (except C,S), Indochina.
(a) Male harterti: Large, long-necked; grey plumage, red sub-
moustachial patch, buff throat/foreneck. (b) Female: No red 9 GOLD-WHISKERED BARBET Megalaima chrysopogon
submoustachial. Juvenile: Duller, head less speckled, 30 cm
throat/foreneck whitish; males with larger red submoustachial, (a) Adult laeta: Large dark bill, broad eyestripe above large yel-
sometimes red on crown. Other subspecies M.p.pulverulen- low patch on lower head-side, pale throat. Juvenile: Duller yel-
tus (southern S Thailand southwards): Much more blackish- low on lower head-side. VOICE Male territorial call is loud, rather
slate. VOICE Loud wavering, whinnying 2–5 note woi-kwoi- deep tehoop-tehoop-tehoop-tehoop-tehoop... Also a
kwoi-kwoik...woi-kwoi-kwoi-kwoik.. (mainly in flight). repeated, long, low-pitched trill on one note, gradually slowing
Single dwot and soft whu-ick. HABITAT Broadleaved forest, and eventually breaking up into 3–4 note phrases. HABITAT
mangroves; up to 1,065 m (below 215 m Pen Malaysia). RANGE Broadleaved evergreen forest; up to 1,065 m, occasionally to
Un/fc R (except C Thailand, W,E Tonkin); formerly Singapore. 1,525 m. RANGE Un/co R W(south),S Thailand, Pen Malaysia.

4 FIRE-TUFTED BARBET Psilopogon pyrolophus 28 cm 10 RED-CROWNED BARBET Megalaima rafflesii 25–27 cm


(a) Adult: Brownish-maroon hindcrown/nape, whitish fore- (a) Adult malayensis: Red crown, blue throat and supercilium,
crown-band, pale yellowish-green bill with dark band, grey ear- black eyestripe bordered yellow and red below. (b) Juvenile:
coverts, yellow and blackish breast-bands. (b) Juvenile: Olive- Much duller with less defined head pattern. VOICE Male territo-
brown hindcrown/nape, dull supercilium. VOICE Strange rial call is 1–2 took notes, followed after a pause by up to 20
cicada-like buzzing, starting with spaced notes, then speeding up rapidly repeated, shorter tuk notes. HABITAT Broadleaved ever-
and rising toward end. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; green forest; up to 200 m. RANGE Sc/lfc R south Tenasserim, S
1,070–2,010 m. RANGE Un/co R extreme S Thailand, Pen Malaysia. Thailand, Pen Malaysia, Singapore.

5 GREAT BARBET Megalaima virens 32–33 cm 11 RED-THROATED BARBET M.mystacophanos 23 cm


(a) Adult virens: Large; pale bill, dark head, brownish mantle, (a) Male mystacophanos: Yellow forehead, red crown, red
streaked on belly, red undertail-coverts. Other subspecies throat, blue cheeks. (b) Female: Mostly greenish head, red
M.v.magnifica (SW,W,west S Myanmar); clamator (east N patches on lores, hindcrown and upper breast-side. (c) Juve-
Myanmar). VOICE Loud kay-oh (once a second). Continuous nile: Green head with yellower forehead and throat. VOICE Male
piou-piou-piou-piou... (female?), often with former in duet. utters slow series of 1–2 (or 3) deep notes at uneven intervals:
Grating keeah. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen (rarely decidu- chok..chok-chok..chok..chok-chok..chok... Also a repeat-
ous) forest; 600–2,800 m (locally 440 m N Myanmar). RANGE ed high-pitched trill, which gradually shortens. HABITAT
Co R Myanmar (except southern Tenasserim), W,NW,NE (north- Broadleaved evergreen forest; up to 760 m. RANGE Co R south
west) Thailand, N,C Laos, W,E Tonkin, N Annam. Tenasserim, S Thailand, Pen Malaysia.
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PLATE 16 HONEYGUIDES & BARBETS


1 MALAYSIAN HONEYGUIDE Indicator archipelagicus 18 cm (b) Juvenile: Duller; fainter head pattern. (c) Adult asiatica
(a) Male: Nondescript, thick-billed and passerine-like, resem- (Myanmar; except Tenasserim): Black and yellow bands across
bling some bulbuls. Upperparts cold dark olive-brown with nar- mid-crown. (d) Adult chersonesus (S Thailand): Bluer crown.
row olive-green streaks, mainly on wings, scapulars and upper- VOICE Loud, quickly repeated took-arook from male. HABITAT
tail-coverts; underparts whitish with greyish wash across breast Broadleaved evergreen forest, secondary growth; 400–2,400 m
and broad dark streaks on belly/lower flanks. Long lemon-yel- (mainly 600–1,830 m). RANGE Co R Myanmar, Thailand (except
low shoulder-patch (often hidden), reddish eyes. Female: No C,SE), N Laos, W,E Tonkin, N Annam.
shoulder-patch. Juvenile: Like female but indistinctly streaked
below, eyes brown. VOICE Sings with 1–2 mewing notes followed 6 MOUSTACHED BARBET Megalaima incognita 23 cm
by ascending nasal rattle: miaw-krrrruuu. HABITAT & BEHAV- (a) Adult elbeli: Crown greenish with red at front and rear,
IOUR Broadleaved evergreen forest; up to 915 m. Sits motionless black submoustachial, blue throat. (b) Juvenile: Duller; ill-
on exposed perch. RANGE Sc/un R W,S Thailand, Pen Malaysia. defined head pattern. Other subspecies M.i.incognita
(Tenasserim, W Thailand); euroa (SE Thailand, Indochina).
2 YELLOW-RUMPED HONEYGUIDE I.xanthonotus 15 cm VOICE Male territorial call like Blue-throated but notes more
(a) Male: Bright orange-yellow forecrown, cheeks and band spaced, deliberate: u’ik-a-ruk u’ik-a-ruk u’ik-a-ruk...
down centre of lower back and rump, white inner tertial fringes. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; 600–1,700 m. RANGE
Throat streaked greyish and whitish, rest of underparts largely Fc/co R northern Tenasserim, W,NW,NE,SE Thailand, Cambodia,
dusky-whitish with broad dark streaks. (b) Female: Duller with Laos, Vietnam (except Cochinchina).
less yellow on forehead and cheeks. VOICE Single weet is said to
be uttered in flight. HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Cliffs and adjacent ever- 7 YELLOW-CROWNED BARBET Megalaima henricii
green forest; recorded at 2,285 m. Sits motionless; usually near 22–23 cm
bee nests. RANGE Ra R N Myanmar. (a) Adult henricii: Smallish size, yellow front/sides of crown,
green head-side, blue throat. (b) Juvenile: Duller; washed-out
3 GOLDEN-THROATED BARBET Megalaima franklinii 22 cm head pattern. VOICE Male territorial call of 4–6 loud tok notes
(a) Adult ramsayi: Red forehead and hindcrown, yellow mid- introduced by short trill: trrok....tok-tok-tok-tok..., with
crown, grey-streaked blackish lower ear-coverts, yellow upper one phrase about every 2 s. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen for-
throat, pale greyish lower throat. Broad black band through eye est; up to 975 m. RANGE Un/fc R S Thailand, Pen Malaysia.
streaked with grey, outer fringes of secondaries and outer wing-
coverts distinctly blue-washed. (b) Juvenile: Duller with less 8 BLUE-EARED BARBET Megalaima australis 17–18 cm
distinct head pattern. (c) Adult auricularis (S Laos, S Annam): (a) Male cyanotis: Small; black forehead, orange-red cheek-
All-black band through eye, violet-washed lower ear-coverts, patch, red above and below blue ear-coverts, blue throat with
mostly yellow throat with dark border, narrow blue lower bor- narrow black border. (b) Female: Duller head pattern. (c)
der to throat continuing in narrow line to rear of black eyestripe. Juvenile: Very uniform; blue-tinged ear-coverts/throat. (d)
(d) Adult franklinii (N Myanmar, east NW,NE Thailand, N Male duvaucelii (Pen Malaysia): Black ear-coverts with larger
Indochina): All-black band through eye and deeper yellow on red patches above/below; red cheek-patch, broad black band on
throat. Other subspecies M.f.minor (Pen Malaysia): All-black upper breast. Other subspecies M.a.stuarti (Tenasserim, W,S
band through eye, deeper yellow on throat, some blue behind Thailand). VOICE Monotonous, rapidly repeated ko-tek. Shrill
ear-coverts. M.f.trangensis (S Thailand). VOICE Male territorial whistled pleow notes (c.1 per s). HABITAT Broadleaved forests;
call is a very loud, ringing pukwowk, repeated about once a up to 1,525 m (below 975 m in Pen Malaysia). RANGE Co R
second. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen forest; 800–2,565 m (except C Thailand); formerly Singapore.
(above 1,280 m in Pen Malaysia, rarely down to 500 m in Laos
and 225 m in C Annam). RANGE Co R (except C,SE Thailand, Sin- 9 COPPERSMITH BARBET Megalaima haemacephala
gapore, Cambodia, Cochinchina). 17 cm
(a) Adult indica: Small; yellow head-sides/throat, black eye-
4 BLACK-BROWED BARBET Megalaima oorti 21.5–23.5 cm stripe/submoustachial, pale greenish below with dark green
(a) Adult oorti: Head-sides blue, throat yellow with broad blue streaks. Crown red at front, black towards rear; red breast-band.
lower border, red spot on side of upper breast, no blue tinge to (b) Juvenile: Dark of head duller, yellow of head-sides and
wing feathers; medium-width black eyestripe/supercilium. (b) throat paler, no red on crown or breast. VOICE Resonant tonk-
Juvenile: Duller, less distinct head pattern. (c) Adult anna- tonk-tonk-tonk-tonk.. (<100+ notes). HABITAT Deciduous
mensis (S Laos, S Annam): Broader black supercilium, more forest, scattered trees, mangroves, parks, gardens, plantations;
blue on lower throat. VOICE Male territorial call is throaty toka- up to 915 m. RANGE Co R (except W,E Tonkin).
r’ut, about once a second. HABITAT Broadleaved evergreen for-
est; 600–1,450 m, rarely down to 250 m. RANGE Fc/co R extreme 10 BROWN BARBET Calorhamphus fuliginosus 20 cm
S Thailand, Pen Malaysia, east Cambodia, S Laos, C,S Annam. (a) Adult hayii: Brown with whiter breast to vent; orangey legs
and feet. VOICE Thin, forced pseeoo notes. HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR
5 BLUE-THROATED BARBET Megalaima asiatica 23 cm Broadleaved evergreen forest, secondary growth; up to 1,065 m.
(a) Adult davisoni: All-blue head-sides and throat. Red crown Forages in small parties. RANGE Fc/co R south Tenasserim, S
with blue band across centre, narrow black supercilium. Thailand, Pen Malaysia; formerly Singapore.
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PLATE 17 LARGER HORNBILLS


1 RHINOCEROS HORNBILL Buceros rhinoceros 91–122 cm underparts black, orbital skin a little duller. From Wreathed and
(a) Male rhinoceros: Bright red and yellow upward-curved Plain-pouched by bill structure/pattern, opposite colour of bare
casque with black base. Mostly black with white lower belly and head-skin, less inflated gular pouch, lack of obvious crest,
undertail-coverts, and white tail with broad black band across white-tipped outer primaries and black tail-base. Juvenile:
centre. Bill mostly pale yellowish to whitish, eyes reddish, eye- Like male but bill smaller with no dark ridges, tail feathers may
ring blackish. (b) Female: Smaller, eyes whitish, eyering red- be narrowly dark-tipped. VOICE Barking kup notes; less deep
dish. Juvenile: Bill yellow with orange base, casque barely than similar calls of Great. HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Broadleaved
developed, eyes pale blue-grey, eyering blue-grey. VOICE Male evergreen forest; 600–2,900 m. Usually in pairs, sometimes
utters deep, forceful hok notes, female a higher hak, often in small groups. RANGE Ra/ul Myanmar (except SW), W,NW Thai-
duet: hok-hak hok-hak hok-hak... Also a loud throaty ger- land, N,C Laos, W Tonkin, N Annam.
ronk by both sexes when flying (often simultaneously or
antiphonally). HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Broadleaved evergreen for- 5 WRINKLED HORNBILL Aceros corrugatus 81–82 cm
est; up to 1,220 m. Usually found in pairs or small groups, occa- (a,b) Male: Smaller than Wreathed, smaller yellow bill with red-
sionally larger flocks of up to 25. RANGE Sc/lc R extreme S Thai- dish base, squarer-looking reddish casque, blue orbital skin,
land, Pen Malaysia. Frc Singapore. unmarked and less bulging gular pouch, blacker crown-centre
and nape, black tail-base (hard to see). White of tail usually
2 GREAT HORNBILL Buceros bicornis 119–122 cm (averages strongly stained buffish to yellowish. (c) Female: Smaller than
smaller in S Thailand and Pen Malaysia) Wreathed, plain yellowish bill with squarer casque, blue orbital
(a) Male homrai: Mostly yellowish bill and casque, mostly skin, plain, less bulging gular pouch, less pronounced crest,
blackish plumage with white nape and neck, white vent, white black tail-base. Juvenile: Like male, but bill unridged and pale
tail with broad black central band. In flight (above and below) yellow with orange wash at base, casque undeveloped, orbital
shows broad white band across greater coverts and broadly skin pale yellow; may have blackish base to upper mandible.
white-tipped flight feathers. Neck and greater covert bar variably VOICE Sharp, barking kak kak-kak etc. HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR
stained yellowish, eyes reddish, eyering blackish. (b) Female: Broadleaved evergreen forest, freshwater swamp forest; up to
Smaller, eyes whitish, eyering red. Juvenile: Bill much smaller, 800 m. Usually found in pairs or small flocks. RANGE Ra/un R S
casque barely developed, eyes pale blue-grey, eyering pinkish. Thailand, Pen Malaysia. Frc Singapore.
VOICE Very loud, deep gok or kok notes (given by duetting
pairs), leading to loud harsh roaring and barking. Deep coarse 6 WREATHED HORNBILL Aceros undulatus M 100.5–115,
who by male and whaa by female; double who-whaa at take- F 84–98 cm (smaller S Thailand, Pen Malaysia)
off or in flight is duet. HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Broadleaved ever- (a,b) Male: Brownish-white head-sides, neck and breast, all-
green and mixed deciduous forest, forest on some larger islands; white tail, bulging yellow gular pouch with blackish lateral
up to 1,525 m. Usually found in pairs or small groups. RANGE streak. Crown-centre to hindneck shaggy warmish dark brown,
Sc/lc R (except C Thailand, Singapore). bill pale dull yellowish with darker corrugated base (not always
obvious), casque small with dark ridges, orbital skin reddish.
3 HELMETED HORNBILL Buceros vigil Tail often lightly stained yellowish/brownish. (c) Female: Head,
127 cm (central tail <50 more) neck and breast black, gular pouch blue. Juvenile: Like male
(a,b) Male: Elongated central tail feathers, bare dark red skin but casque undeveloped, bill uncorrugated, gular pouch streak
on head-sides, throat and neck. Has short, straight, yellowish bill fainter. VOICE Loud, rather breathless kuk-KWEHK. HABITAT &
with reddish base, short and rounded reddish casque with yel- BEHAVIOUR Broadleaved evergreen and mixed deciduous forest,
low tip and mostly blackish plumage with white rump, vent and forest on islands; up to 1,830 m, rarely 2,500 m N Myanmar.
tail-coverts. Tail whitish with black central and subterminal Usually in pairs or small flocks; sometimes very large flocks fly-
bands. In flight, also shows broadly white-tipped secondaries ing to and from roosts. RANGE Un/lc R (except C Myanmar, C
and primaries. Female: Bill speckled black at tip, skin of face Thailand, Singapore, W,E Tonkin).
and neck tinged pale lilac. Juvenile: Bill yellowish-olive, casque
poorly developed, head/neck skin pale greenish-blue, central 7 PLAIN-POUCHED HORNBILL Aceros subruficollis
tail shorter. VOICE Loud, resonant, protracted series of notes, M 88, f 80 cm
starting with spaced hoop notes, slowly quickening to ke-hoop (a,b) Male: Somewhat smaller than Wreathed, bill shorter with
and ending with manic laughter. Clanking ka-hank ka- warm brownish base and no corrugations, casque slightly more
hank.., usually in flight. HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Broadleaved ever- peaked with more dark ridges, lacks gular pouch streak. (c)
green forest; up to 1,400 m. Usually found singly or in pairs. Female: From Wreathed as male. Juvenile: Like male but
RANGE Sc/un R Tenasserim, S Thailand, Pen Malaysia. casque undeveloped, bill all pale yellowish. May only differ from
Wreathed by plain pouch. VOICE Loud keh-kek-kehk or ehk-
4 RUFOUS-NECKED HORNBILL Aceros nipalensis 117 cm ehk-ehk with accentuated end-note; higher and more quacking
(a) Male: Bright rufous head, neck and underparts. Rest of than Wreathed. HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR Broadleaved evergreen and
upperside black with white-tipped outer primaries, tail white mixed deciduous forest; up to 915 m. Usually in pairs or small
with black basal half/third, bill pale yellowish with row of verti- groups, sometimes large flocks during local movements. RANGE
cal dark ridges on upper mandible and almost no casque, Ra/un R (local movements) S Myanmar, Tenasserim, W,S(south-
orbital skin blue, gular skin red. (b,c) Female: Head, neck and ern) Thailand, north Pen Malaysia.
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Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
“But Prince had a bad habit, and that was the reason he was to be
sold. He balked whenever a grown person rode or drove him. The
only thing he was any good for at all was carrying Charlie and me to
the store for Mother. He would take us both at once or one at a time
wherever we wanted to go and never balk once while we were on his
back. Father said that if Charlie and I had been older he would have
kept Prince, but by the time we would need a horse Prince would be
too old to be of much use. If he could even have been trusted to take
Mother to church and back when the roads were too rough to drive,
Father would not have sold him. But he was sure to stop some place
or other, no matter how cold the day, and refuse to budge until he got
ready. So Father said he could not afford to keep him any longer,
and as none of our neighbors would want him he would sell him to
the horse dealer for what he could get. This wouldn’t be much, for of
course Father would tell the man that Prince balked.
“So we went to the fair as usual, except that Prince went along
and was hitched with the other horses to the fence until Father
should get ready to see the horse dealer some time after dinner.
“I went with Mother to Floral Hall, which was just a little,
whitewashed building, and looked at quilts and fancy work and cakes
and pies and pianos and stoves and pumpkins and potatoes until I
got tired and wandered on ahead of Mother—who was busily talking
to some people she knew—to the door, and there was Charlie
waiting for us.
“He had been out to see the cattle and poultry. He said our white-
faced steer and Mother’s bronze turkeys had taken blue ribbons and
he wanted me to come and see them.
“As we passed our horses, Prince whinnied, and I suggested that
we say good-by to Prince again. So we went over to where he was
hitched to the fence. We petted him and fed him an apple that
Charlie had in his pocket, and then Charlie said we would take a last
ride. So he got on first and I climbed up behind him and put my arms
around his waist and we were off. For a while Prince trotted about on
the grass, and then we came to an opening that led into the race
track. Before we realized what he was doing, Prince had turned
through this opening into the circular track.
“Two men were standing at the entrance talking. One of them was
an old man. The other, a big man with a wide-rimmed felt hat and
high-topped boots, waved a riding whip at us and called out
something that we did not hear as we passed, but Prince kept right
on. Charlie could have turned him around, but he wouldn’t, though I
begged him to. The trainers were exercising their horses on the
track, but Prince paid no attention to anything, looking neither to right
nor to left. We must have been a queer sight—two children riding
bareback on a big farm horse around the race track. By the time we
got to the grandstand quite a crowd had gathered and they cheered
us loudly as we passed. Charlie, not to be outdone, waved his hat in
return.

Prince turned through the opening that led to the race track

“When we got back to the gate we had come through, Charlie


pulled Prince’s mane and he turned out into the grass again.
“The men were still talking, and the one who had called to us
patted Prince’s head and asked us if we had enjoyed our ride. Then,
because it looked so silly, we told him how we happened to be on
Prince at a place like that and how Father was going to sell him
because he balked and wouldn’t work and how sorry we were and
afraid some one would buy Prince from the horse dealer because he
was so handsome and then beat him when he found he balked.
“The old gentleman seemed greatly interested and asked us
Father’s name and a great many questions about Prince. We told
him how he would do anything for us and was as safe as safe could
be. Then we hitched Prince to the fence and said good-by to him and
went to dinner. My dress was all wrinkled and my hair was mussed
and my face burned from being in the sun, and Mother was not at all
pleased that Charlie and I had made ourselves so conspicuous.
“But we had lots of fun that afternoon watching the races and
eating peanuts and drinking pink lemonade. There was the balloon
ascension, and Father took us into some of the shows and bought us
ice cream, molded into cakes and wrapped in paper, which was
called ‘hokie-pokie.’
“We had balloons and peanuts and canes to take home with us,
and when we got in the surrey to go home Prince was gone and no
one mentioned him. But when we were well out of town Father said,
‘Well, children, you may rest easy about Prince. He has a good
home where he will be well treated, and it is largely due to Charlie
and Sarah.’ And then he told us all about it.
“The man at the gate with the wide felt hat and high-topped boots
was the horse dealer, and the old man with him was hunting a horse
that would be safe for his little granddaughter, who had been sick
and was not strong, to ride and drive. When he saw Charlie and me
on Prince and heard what we said, he knew that Prince was the very
horse he wanted.
“So he had bought him from Father and paid a hundred dollars,
when Father had only expected to get fifty dollars at the most. He
didn’t care a bit because Prince balked, for no one would use him
but the little girl and he would be quite as much a pet as when we
owned him.
“‘And that extra fifty dollars shall go to Charlie and Sarah,’ said
Father, ‘for their very own.’
“The next time Father went to Clayville, sure enough, he put
twenty-five dollars in the bank for Charlie and twenty-five dollars for
me, and he gave us each a brand new bank book with our names on
the backs. We never saw Prince again, but the man who bought him
took care of him and was good to him until Prince died a few years
later.
“Now what shall I tell you tomorrow night? Oh, I know—a
Hallowe’en story!”
HALLOWE’EN
“Grandma, tomorrow night is Hallowe’en,” said Pink one evening
when she and Alice and Bobby had drawn their stools close to
Grandma’s knee for their usual good-night story.
“Mother makes candy on Hallowe’en,” Alice added, “and we have
nuts and apples and false faces and witches on broomsticks and
black cats and everything.”
“And last year we had a party,” said Pink.
“And this year,” put in Bobby eagerly, “we’re going to have a great,
big pumpkin to make a jack-o’-lantern of. I know how to do it. Daddy
told me, and he’s going to help. You hollow out the insides of the
pumpkin and cut round holes for the eyes and make a nose and a
mouth with teeth and put a candle inside, and I’ll say he’ll look
scary.”
“Won’t he though!” exclaimed Grandma. “To meet a jack-o’-lantern
like that on a dark night would make a body shiver. I just know it
would. Brother Charlie and I used to save the biggest pumpkins for
Hallowe’en. In the summer we would pick out certain pumpkin vines
in the cornfield and take special care of them so that the pumpkins
would grow extra large for jack-o’-lanterns. We would keep the dirt
loosened around the roots, and when the weather was dry we would
carry water from the creek to water them. We would watch to keep
the worms and bugs off the vines, and then when the pumpkins
began to get big we’d measure around them every few days to see
which was growing the fastest. Father said we did everything but
sleep with the pumpkins.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Pink in surprise, “did you have Hallowe’en, too,
Grandma?”
“Yes, indeed,” answered Grandma, “but we generally called it
Hallow Eve in those days.”
And she went on to tell them how the evening of October thirty-first
has for years and years in many different countries been celebrated
as the eve of All-hallows or All Saints’ Day and is called Halloweven
or, as we most often say, Hallowe’en, and how on this particular
evening fairies, witches, and imps are supposed to be especially
active.
“The young people in our neighborhood used to have parties,” said
Grandma, “and they would make taffy and play games and perform
tricks intended to reveal to them their future husbands and wives.
“Sometimes these parties would be broken up by a crowd of rough
boys who had not been invited, for if there was a lot of fun on
Hallowe’en there was also a lot of mischief done. Nothing that could
be moved was safe if left outside. Gates were carried away, wheels
removed from wagons, farm machinery hidden, well buckets stolen,
and roads barricaded with great logs. Some people took this time to
vent their spite on anyone they did not like.
“But these rough, mischievous boys had never bothered us, for
between the settlement where they lived and our farm was a strip of
woods in which an old woman known as Mother Girty had been
buried years and years before—in pioneer times, in fact. It was said
she had been a witch, and even when I was a little girl ignorant or
superstitious folks did not like to pass these woods by night. On
Hallowe’en they were more afraid than ever, since on this night
witches are supposed to roam at will over the country.
“One year Mother said we could have a Hallowe’en party at our
house. Charlie and I gave our biggest pumpkins, and Truman made
jack-o’-lanterns out of them. Belle and Aggie decorated the sitting
room with autumn leaves and bunches of yellow chrysanthemums
and draped orange-colored cloth, which they had dyed by boiling old
sheets in sassafras bark and water, around the walls. For lights they
had the jack-o’-lanterns and just common lanterns with the orange
cloth wrapped about the globes, and they put out baskets of apples
and nuts. In the cellar were rows of pumpkin pies and pans of
gingerbread for refreshment, when the guests should get tired of
playing games and pulling taffy.
“When every one had come, Aggie made the taffy. But she didn’t
cook the first batch long enough and it wouldn’t harden. They tried to
pull it, but the way it stuck to their hands was awful, and such
squealing and laughing you never heard. It kept Charlie and me busy
bringing water for them to wash off the taffy.
“The girls put another kettle of molasses on right away, and while
the taffy was being made Charlie and I slipped around the house to
put a tick-tack on Mother’s window. When we had got the tick-tack to
working and Mother and Father had both come to the window to see
what it was, though I reckon they both knew very well, we started
back to the kitchen.
“But we didn’t go in, for there, spread out on the porch to cool,
were pans and pans of taffy. Charlie said we had better take a pan
for ourselves for fear there mightn’t be enough to go around and
we’d have to do without. So he grabbed a pan quickly and we ran
around to the front of the house with it. We meant to go on the front
portico, but just as we turned the corner we heard a noise as if some
one were opening the door. So we crouched down close to the
house for a little bit and then ran out to the lilac bush by the front
gate.
“We sat down on the ground and began to work the cooler part of
the taffy around the edge of the pan toward the center, but we had
no butter to put on our hands to keep the taffy from sticking and I
offered to go to the kitchen to get some. We would then start pulling
our taffy and quietly slip into the house where everyone else would
be pulling taffy and no one would notice that we had not been there
all the time.
“I stood up. It was a pitch dark night, but as I started toward the
house I thought I could see something moving in the side yard under
the apple tree. I told Charlie. He saw it, too, as plainly as could be. It
was white and it moved about in the most terrible way. Oh, to be safe
back in the house! I clutched Charlie’s arm and trembled all over, I
was so afraid. It seemed to be coming toward us, and suddenly I
couldn’t stand it any longer and I screamed—the most awful, blood-
curdling yells—and, pulling Charlie with all my might, I ran for the
house.
“The kitchen was filled with frightened young people, for no one
knew what had happened. Just as we tumbled into one door three or
four white clad figures burst into the other door, and it was hard to
tell which was the worst scared.
“‘Ghosts!’ sputtered Charlie, gasping for breath. ‘Ghosts under the
apple tree!’ Then everybody saw the joke and laughed. The ghosts
turned out to be some of the big boys who had wrapped themselves
in sheets to frighten the folks. The opening of the front door that
Charlie and I had heard had been Truman bringing out the sheets,
but my yells had scared them and they looked right sheepish and
didn’t say anything when Isabel Strang asked them whether they
thought Mother Girty was after them.

I screamed the most awful blood-curdling yells

“In the excitement and confusion, sister Belle, who was going
down the cellar stairs backward with a mirror in her hand, in which
she was supposed to see the face of the man she would marry, fell
halfway down the stairs, and John Strang picked her up and sure
enough he was the man she married later.
“After that Charlie and I didn’t say much, for the pan of taffy was
still under the lilac bush by the front gate and we didn’t want to go
into any explanations about why we happened to be out there too.
“Here, here, don’t forget your ‘apple a day.’ There now, good night,
dears.”
MEASLES
Bobby and Alice and Pink had the measles. First Bobby had taken
it with a headache and a sick stomach. Then Alice had got sick with
what seemed to be a cold, and at last Pink took it. She just wakened
up one morning all covered with tiny red spots, and of course she
knew right away that she had the measles, too.
They had all been awfully sick, but now they were better, though
they still had to stay in a darkened room, which they didn’t like a bit.
“It’s the worst part of the measles,” complained Bobby bitterly.
“Just like night all the time.”
“Well, then,” said Grandma, who was making them a call, “let us
pretend that it is night and I will tell you a story about when I had the
measles a long, long time ago.
“In those days measles was considered a necessary evil for
children. That is, people thought that all children must have it one
time or another, and the younger you were when you had it the less
it would hurt you. All our family had had the measles except Charlie
and me. We had never had the measles, and Mother was quite
worried about it. She said she wouldn’t expose us on purpose, but
she did wish we’d get it before we got much older and have it over
with. There had been no measles epidemic in our neighborhood for
several years, and this is how one came about.
“One Saturday, late in June, Father took Charlie and me to
Clayville with him. We were to visit with Aunt Louisa while he
attended to his business. He let us out at Aunt Louisa’s street and
said when he got ready to go home he would come after us.
“Charlie and I started up the street, but neither of us had ever
been there alone and all the houses looked alike to us. We couldn’t
decide which was Aunt Louisa’s.
“Finally we selected one that we were sure was hers and went
around to the side door and knocked. Instead of Aunt Louisa or
Mettie, a little girl opened the door and told us to come in. This was
queer, because Aunt Louisa had no children. But I supposed she had
company and stepped into a sitting room that was so dark I could
hardly see a thing at first. We sat very still for a while, and I wished
that Aunt Louisa would come. In the dim light I made out a bed in
one corner, but I didn’t know there was anyone in it until a boy, who
had evidently been asleep, raised up his head and looked at us in
surprise. And we looked at him, too, for he certainly was funny
looking with his face all covered with little red spots.
“‘By, golly!’ he said. ‘What you doin’ in here?’
“I replied with dignity that we were waiting for Aunt Louisa.
“‘She doesn’t live here,’ he said crossly, and lay down again. ‘She
lives in the next house. Must have been my little sister let you in.
This is our house and I got the measles.’
“Charlie and I got out as quickly as we could and hurried to Aunt
Louisa’s, but we decided that we would not tell her or anyone else
we had had such a glorious, accidental chance for the measles.
“‘We mightn’t take the measles after all,’ Charlie pointed out, ‘and
then Mother would be disappointed.’
“‘I hope we don’t take them on the way home,’ I said anxiously. I
didn’t know then that it takes the measles germ nine days to mature
and that we were in little danger of taking it before that time.
“The next day, being tired from my trip to town, I imagined I was
sick and I was sure I was taking the measles. Charlie examined my
face carefully, though, and said he couldn’t see any red spots. In a
day or two Charlie thought he was taking the disease, but there were
no red spots on his face, either.
“‘And if they’re in you Mother says they’ve got to come out,’ I told
him wisely. ‘So as long as it doesn’t show on the outside we haven’t
got it.’
“A week passed, and after several more false alarms we came to
the conclusion that we were not going to take the measles after all.
“Sunday the Presiding Elder was to be at our church and there
were to be two sermons, one in the morning and one in the
afternoon, with a basket dinner in between. Mother and the girls
were very busy cooking and baking, or maybe some of them would
have seen that Charlie and I were not well on Saturday. I ached all
over, my head most of all, and Charlie said he felt sick from his head
to his toes. We slipped out to the barn and crawled up in the hay loft
and lay down on the hay. Nanny Dodds almost found us there when
she came out to hunt some eggs for an extra cake—Mother had
already baked three cakes, but she said she had better bake four to
make sure there’d be plenty.
“Charlie and I had been eating green apples. Mother always
allowed us to eat green apples if we put salt on them. But we had
been in the orchard and the salt was at the house, so we hadn’t
bothered to wait, but had eaten the apples without salt. We thought it
was the green apples that were making us sick. As we didn’t want to
be dosed with castor oil and maybe have to stay home from
preaching next day, we didn’t tell a soul we felt sick.
“Anyway, we were both better by Sunday morning, for who
wouldn’t have been better with a new white dress to wear and a
leghorn hat with a wreath of daisies around the crown?
“But in church even my new clothes couldn’t help me. The sermon
seemed very, very long, the air was hot and close, and I felt terribly
sick. I wanted more than anything else in the world to take off my hat
and lay my head in Mother’s gray silk lap, but of course I was much
too big to do that. I looked across to the men’s side where Charlie
sat beside Father, and there he was all slumped down in his seat,
holding his head in his hands.
“Neither of us ate much dinner, but there were so many people
eating with us that Mother didn’t notice. And right after dinner we
went down to the surrey and climbed in, Charlie on the front seat, I
on the back.
“We covered ourselves, heads and all, with the lap robes, and
there we lay and slept the live-long afternoon, until Father came to
hitch the horses up to go home.
“‘These youngsters must be all tired out,’ Father said when Mother
and Aggie and Belle came out to get in the surrey. I raised my head
up, but I was so dizzy I lay right down again, but not before Mother
had seen me.
“‘Let me see in your throat, Sarah,’ she demanded, and then to
Father she said solemnly, ‘I knew it! The second I saw her I knew it.
Sarah has the measles.’ Father thought surely she must be
mistaken, but she examined Charlie, and would you believe it? He
had the measles, too.

I looked across to Charlie and he was holding his head in his hands

“On the way home, with my head in Mother’s lap and Charlie
leaning on Belle, we told them all about going to the wrong house
when we went to see Aunt Louisa, and the boy who had the
measles, and everything.
“‘Just exactly nine days ago today,’ Mother fairly groaned.
“‘Aren’t you glad, Mother, that we surprised you with the measles?’
I asked, puzzled, for she didn’t seem a bit glad that we had them,
though she had always talked as if she would be.
“At this Father and Belle and Aggie and even Mother laughed.
“‘If I don’t miss my guess,’ said Father, ‘you’ve surprised a good
many other people with the measles, too, and I bet a lot of them
won’t be very glad.’
“Of course a lot of folks did take the measles from Charlie and me,
but the weather was warm and they all got along nicely, so there was
no great harm done.
“Some of the folks wondered where in the world Charlie and I
could have caught the measles. But old Mrs. Orbison, who came to
see us right away, settled that by announcing, ‘I always say that
things like that are in the air. No one knows where they get them or
how.’”
SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR
It was the evening before Thanksgiving. Grandma had told Bobby
and Alice and Pink about the first Thanksgiving, celebrated so long
ago by the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony to show their gratitude
because their lives had been spared in spite of many hardships and
because their crops had been plentiful enough to support them
through the coming winter.
And she had told them how that now, on recommendation of the
President, the last Thursday of November is set apart by
proclamation of the governors of the different states as an annual
Thanksgiving Day.
“Thanksgiving at our house was a wonderful time,” Grandma said
thoughtfully. “Next to Christmas, it was the best day of all the year, I
think. And it always began weeks before the real Thanksgiving Day
—when Mother made the mincemeat and the plum pudding and the
fruit cakes.
“All day Mother and the girls would work, crumbing bread for the
puddings, washing currants, slicing citron, beating eggs, measuring
sugar and spices, chopping suet and meat in the big wooden
chopping bowl, and seeding raisins. I helped seed the raisins. I liked
to seed raisins until I got all I wanted to eat. Then after that I didn’t
like the sticky things a bit.
“When everything was all mixed and ready, the pudding would be
packed in muslin bags and the cake put in pans lined with writing
paper and they would be steamed for hours and hours. When they
were done and cool they would be put away, beside the big stone jar
of mincemeat, to ripen for Thanksgiving.
“Father said that Thanksgiving came at just the right time of the
year. All the fall work was done by then, the corn husked, lots of
wood cut, and the butchering was over. The meathouse was filled
with hams and sausage and side meat, and there was always a jar
of pickled pigs’ feet. The apples had been picked and the potatoes
dug and both buried out in the garden alongside the cabbage and
beets. The nuts had been gathered in, and the popcorn was ready to
pop. The finest pumpkin had been set aside for the pies, and the
biggest, proudest, young turkey gobbler was fattened for the
Thanksgiving dinner.
“And then, on Thanksgiving morning, what delicious smells came
out of our kitchen! You know what they were! You’ve all smelled the
very same kind of smells coming out of your kitchen, I know you
have. Mm! mm! and the dinner! And every one of the family at home
to enjoy it and lots of company, too.
“But we didn’t think of just things to eat, either. Father said folks
were likely to do that. We seldom had services at our church on
Thanksgiving because the minister was usually off in another part of
the circuit holding a meeting. But at the breakfast table, after Father
had asked the blessing, to preserve and foster, as he said, the real
spirit of the day, each one of us would tell something we had to be
thankful for.
“And one Thanksgiving morning Charlie said he couldn’t think of
anything to be thankful for except, of course, Father and Mother and
good health and Sport, but nothing special, he said. I knew what was
the matter with Charlie. He had asked Truman to lend him his gun to
take along when he went to look at his traps. Truman had refused
because he had just cleaned it, and Father had said Charlie could
carry a gun when he was twelve years old and not before.
“Afterward when I went with him to his traps he told me he was
tired being thankful for ordinary things like those everybody else had.
He wanted something different, such as a silver watch, or a Wild
West pony, or a magic lantern.
“He said he could be the thankfulest boy on Sugar Creek if he had
any of those things, and he thought Thanksgiving ought to come
after Christmas anyhow—then a fellow would have more to be
thankful for.
“We were down at the hole under the willows where we fished in
summer and the boys set traps for muskrats in winter. It was getting
colder, and I told Charlie I thought I’d go on to the house instead of
going with him to the cabin in the sugar grove where he and Truman
were keeping their skins that winter. The cabin was convenient to the
traps, and Truman had put a good lock on the door and he and
Charlie each had a key. I wanted to go to the house to play with
brother Joe’s baby and see whether anyone else had come and to
find out how the dinner was coming on. So Charlie told me to go
ahead and he would come as soon as he skinned a couple of
muskrats he had caught in his traps.
“There were so many of us and so much confusion that I did not
notice until dinner was nearly over that Charlie was not there. When I
called Mother’s attention to it, she said he was probably around
somewhere and would eat presently. It took a long time to serve
dinner that day, and afterward a sled load of neighboring young folks
came in and there were games and music and a general good time.
No one missed Charlie but me, and I didn’t miss him all the time,
either.
“But about four o’clock in the afternoon Mother came out to the
kitchen where some of the girls were popping corn and asked
anxiously if anyone had seen Charlie. Belle said he hadn’t come in
for any dinner.
“‘I can’t imagine where he is,’ Mother said. ‘He never did a thing
like this before. He may have met the Orbison boys and gone home
with them, but I can’t understand it at all. It isn’t like Charlie.’
“Just then Truman came up from the cellar with a big basket of
apples we had polished the previous day.
“‘What about Charlie?’ he asked. ‘Where is he? What’s the
trouble?’
“Mother explained that Charlie had gone to his traps early that
morning and hadn’t been at the house since, nor been seen by any
one since he had started for the cabin with two muskrats to skin.
“Truman just stared at Mother.
“‘You say Charlie went to the cabin this morning?’ he repeated
slowly as if he couldn’t believe it. ‘Well, then, by jingoes, Mother,
that’s where he is right now!’ And he went on to tell how when he
was coming from feeding the stock on the upper place he had
noticed that the door of the cabin was shut, but the lock was not
snapped. He supposed Charlie had forgotten to tend to it as he had
one other night, and so he had snapped it shut and come along
home. Charlie had evidently been busy and had not heard the lock
click.
“‘Oh, the poor boy!’ cried Mother. ‘Go see about him at once,
Truman.’ And she began putting things in the oven to heat.
“And, sure enough, that was where they found Charlie—he had
been locked up in the cabin all day. When he found he was locked
in, he had tried to pry the windows open, but they were securely
nailed down. He had shouted himself hoarse and had even
attempted to climb up the chimney and get out that way.
“A little later, when he was thoroughly warmed and had had a
good wash and sat at the kitchen table eating his dinner, with Mother
piling up good things on his plate and Charlie eating as if he were
afraid some one would snatch it away before he got enough, Father
came out of the sitting room and stood looking down at him.
“‘Well, son,’ he said, ‘have you thought of anything special to be
thankful for yet?’
“‘Yes, sir,’ Charlie answered, grinning. ‘I’m thankful for something
to eat and a fire.’
“Well, well, if it isn’t bedtime already!”
TAKING A DARE
The next evening when Bobby and Alice and Pink came to
Grandma’s room, she was astonished to behold an ugly black-and-
blue lump on Bobby’s forehead, right over his eye.
“Why, what’s this?” Grandma asked, laying down her knitting and
examining the bruise. “Wait till I get the arnica, and then you can tell
me all about it.”
And while she bathed Bobby’s swollen forehead with the arnica,
Bobby told her how another boy had dared him to hang by his toes
from the scaffolding of a half-finished house and how his feet had
slipped and he had had a fall.
“He said I was afraid to try,” said Bobby, “but I showed him!”
“And you got hurt into the bargain,” remarked Grandma, taking up
her knitting again. “Don’t you know, my dear, that it is sometimes
braver to take a dare than not? There is a time to say ‘no,’ and the
boy or girl who doesn’t know when to say ‘no’ is often foolhardy
rather than brave. I didn’t always know that, though, and I’ll tell you
how I learned it. When I was little I played so much with brother
Charlie that in many ways I was like a boy. One of Charlie’s codes
was that he would never take a dare, and so of course it became my
code, too.
“One Friday night Betty Bard came home from school with me to
stay until Saturday afternoon. It was in the fall, and the nuts were
ripe. On the meathouse floor, spread out to dry, were chestnuts,
walnuts, hazelnuts, hickory nuts, and butternuts. Betty’s grandfather
was our preacher. There were no nuts of any kind on the ground
belonging to the parsonage, so we had been giving Betty some of
our nuts. She had already gotten hickory nuts and chestnuts, and
this evening we had gathered a bag of walnuts and we were out in
the wood lot shelling them.
“We each had a flat stone to lay the nut on and another stone to
hit it with. We wore old leather gloves to protect our hands, for the
walnut juice makes an ugly brown stain. We would lay a nut on the
flat stone, hit it hard with the other stone, and the green outer
covering or shell would come off easily, leaving the walnut, which
would then have to be dried.
“Not far from us Charlie sat cracking walnuts, left over from the
year before, for the chickens. He would crack a nut and throw it to
the chickens and they would pick the meat out with their beaks.
Mother said walnut meats were good for the chickens and made the
hens lay, and we often had to crack walnuts for the chickens. But this
evening Charlie did not want to do it. He wanted to go on the hill to
look at some traps he had set for rabbits, and he offered to give me
his new slate pencil if I would crack the walnuts. Any other time I
should have jumped at the chance of getting a new slate pencil so
easily. But this evening, I wanted to help Betty shell her nuts so we
would have time the next day to play and go down to the persimmon
tree.
“‘Very well,’ declared Charlie. He said that if I wouldn’t help him, he
wouldn’t go with us to the persimmon tree. And without him to shake
the tree, how would we get the persimmons? We had an especially
fine persimmon tree that my great-grandfather had planted, and
Betty and I wanted to get the fruit that was in the top branches.
Charlie had promised to climb the tree for us, but now he said he
wouldn’t do it unless I would finish cracking the walnuts.
“‘All right, you needn’t,’ I replied. ‘We don’t want you. I’ll climb the
tree myself. But really I did not think for a moment I would do any
such thing, for, of all the trees around, grandfather’s persimmon, as
we called it, was the hardest to climb.
“Charlie laughed mockingly.
“‘I dare you!’ he cried. ‘I double dare you!’
“I jumped up, and so did Betty, and we threw our gloves to the
ground and started for the persimmon tree.
“‘Are you sure you can do it?’ whispered Betty.

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