Saturday, December 1, 2007

oriole identification

I've written previously about the black-headed orioles in our neighborhood, and the difficulty of knowing whether they are "ordinary" black-headed orioles (Oriolus larvatus) or the western black-headed oriole (Oriolus brachyrhynchus). The two differ only slightly in plumage, and have overlapping ranges. Based on a fairly good look at one in an albezia tree outside our gate this morning, and additional reflection on vocal differences, I'm inclined to believe that what I've been seeing and hearing in Mbale town are the western sort. We'll see if future encounters with these dapper birds bears out that conclusion or pushes my thinking in the other direction!

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