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The Yunnan Province of China is called 'Paradise for Photographers, Botanists and Ornithologists' Greater-necklaced Laughingthrush, Garrulax pectoralis © Photo: Cathy Farrar There are 848 species of wild birds recorded in Yunnan, which makes up nearly 9% of the birds recorded in the world and 65.5% of those in China. Due to its typical richness in pheasant and laughing thrush species, Yunnan won the reputation as the Kingdom of the Pheasant and the Kingdom of the Laughing Thrush. Left: Ring-necked Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus Right: Chinese Ringneck-type male (note grey rump) with very pale female © Photo: Cathy Farrar and ChrisO The Common Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, is a bird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae). It is native to Georgia (Ancient Colchis) and has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. The word pheasant is derived from the ancient town of Phasis, the predecessor of modern Poti in Western Georgia. In parts of its range, namely in places where none of its relatives occur such as in Europe (where it is naturalized), it is simply known as the "pheasant". Ring-necked Pheasant is both the name used for the species as a whole in North America and also the collective name for a number of subspecies and their intergrades which have white neck rings. Phasianus colchicus torquatus group Chinese Ring-necked Pheasants including Taiwan Pheasant (P. c. formosanus) Throughout China but widespread in the east, extending to northernmost Vietnam and Taiwan in the south and to the Strait of Tartary region in the north. Usually broad neck ring. Wing coverts tan to light grey (almost white in some), uppertail coverts grey to powder blue with orange tips. Top of head light grey. Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis © Photo: Cathy Farrar Common Kingfisher in China: Alcedo atthis bengalensis. Breeds in south and east Asia from India to Indonesia, China, Korea, Japan and eastern Mongolia; winters south to Indonesia and the Philippines. It is smaller and brighter than the European races. In India, resident Alcedo atthis taprobana (left) and migrant Alcedo atthis bengalensis (right) may both be present in winter. Photo: J.M.Garg The above picture, showing the colourful indian to the left, and the pale 'chinese' to the right makes me confused, when I compare to the picture by Cathy Farrar above, which has been taken in Yunnan. It sure doesn't make it easer when you find this comment on the net: In south and southeast Asia it can be confused with six other small blue-and-rufous kingfishers, but the rufous ear patches distinguish it from all but juvenile Blue-eared Kingfisher; details of the head pattern may be necessary to differentiate the two species where both occur. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Kingfisher Afraid I'll have to study this bird more closely some day. Here is the first part of that study: Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia. The group is treated either as a single family, Alcedinidae, or as a suborder Alcedines containing three families: Alcedinidae (river kingfishers) Halcyonidae (tree kingfishers) Cerylidae (water kingfishers). There are roughly 90 species of kingfisher. All have large heads, long, sharp, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. Most species have bright plumage with little differences between the sexes. Most species are tropical in distribution, and a slight majority are found only in forests. They consume a wide range of prey as well as fish, usually caught by swooping down from a perch. Like other members of their order they nest in cavities, usually tunnels dug into the natural or artificial banks in the ground. A few species, principally insular forms, are threatened with extinction. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingfisher Yellow-billed Grosbeak In: Yellow-billed Grosbeak Ca: Durbec becgroc Da: Gulnæbbet Kernebider De: Weißhand-Kernbeißer Es: Picogordo piquigualdo Fi: kiinannokkavarpunen Fr: Grosbec migrateur It: Frosone codanera Nl: Witvleugeldikbek No: Orientkjernebiter Pt: Bico-grossudo-chinês Sv: Mindre maskstenknäck US: Yellow-billed Grosbeak Chinese Grosbeak, Eophona migratoria also called Blacktailed Hawfinch, Yellow-billed Grosbeak and Black-and-yellow Grosbeak. In norwegian: Orientkjernebiter © Photo: Cathy Farrar The Yellow-billed Grosbeak or Chinese Grosbeak, Eophona migratoria, is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family. It can be found in the following countries: China, Hong Kong, Japan, North and South Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. It is found in these habitats: temperate forests. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-billed_Grosbeak Bulbuls - Pycnonotus ..... Light-vented Bulbul, Pycnonotus sinensis Norwegian: Kinabylbyl The Light-vented Bulbul, Pycnonotus sinensis, also known
as the Chinese Bulbul, is a member of the bulbul family. So far so good, but again I realize I don't know much about anything. |
ANIMALS over 250 |
BIRDS over 500 |
FLOWERS over 225 |