View allAll Photos Tagged Variable
Widespread in Central America and truly variable. This is probably the hoffmannii subspecies. Provided a momentary distraction while looking for the Veraguan Mango near the Playa Blanca coast. Panama, August 2013.
Scientific name: Haematopus unicolor
Common name: Variable oystercatcher
Maori name: Toreapango
'Kleep' is the call this Variable oystercatcher is making while in flight, while on the ground he makes a 'hu-eep' alarm call. They fly strongly and directly, but do not tend to fly up in flocks.
Variable oystercatchers are coastal birds and widespread along the coastline of New Zealand. They are the only oystercatcher that show plumage variations, with the birds seen in two main plumage phases: either all black or a pied form. The black form is more common in the South Island. They are protected and endemic.
Waikuku Beach, North Canterbury, NZ
The Variable Wheatear (Oenanthe picata) is a slim, pied or buffy brown colored bird with distinctive tail patterns when spread. It is found in Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, State of Israel, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan. Its natural habitat is hot deserts & open arid regions. It usually perches on rocks, low walls & bushes watching out for insects, beetles and other small prey.
There are three races of Variable Wheatear - capistrata, picata & opistholeuca. The males are pied with the black band extending onto upper breast and sides of breast as opposed to Hume's Wheatear.
Source: Wikipedia, A field guide to the birds of the Indian subcontinent by Krys Kazmierczak
Picture taken during the Magic Birding and Wildlife Photography Circuit of Ecuador ! Near San Jorge de Quito Eco lodge.
Best Birding and Photo tours in Latin America ! www.sanjorgeecolodges.com
Parvindela terricola cinctipennis
I found about 10-15 individuals of this species all of which were green. Blue morphs have been seen in this population but this is a well known location frequented by collectors over many years and the fear is that the genes that produce the blue colors have been removed.
On the other hand this is not a well known species and much collecting needs yet to be done.