Trumpeter Finches: New to Britain and Ireland D
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British Birds VOLUME 70 NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 1977 Trumpeter Finches: new to Britain and Ireland D. I. M. Wallace, F. K. Cobb and C. R. Tubbs here can be few European birds more associated with arid habitats and Thot climates than the Trumpeter Finch Rhodopechys githaginea. It had never been expected in Britain or Ireland and when, in late spring 1971, reports were heard of one in Suffolk and another in Sutherland, most listeners shared the initial incredulity of the observers: surely the birds had escaped from captivity ? The submission, however, of both records to the Rarities Committee and the Records Committee of the British Orni• thologists' Union encouraged research into the status of the Trumpeter Finch in Iberia and elsewhere. It became apparent that this species had successfully crossed the Mediterranean from northwest Africa and was showing signs of unusual dispersal. Eventually, in January 1974, it was accepted for category A of the British and Irish list. This paper publishes the details of the two British records and summarises the background to them. It also describes the first record for the Channel Islands in October !973- [Brit. Birds, 70: 45-49, February 1977] 45 46 Trumpeter Finches The British records in Suffolk and Sutherland At about 10.00 hours on 30th May 1971, FKC and Mrs A. E. Cobb were birdwatching among the sand dunes about i-J km south of Minsmere cliff, Suffolk. AEC spotted a small, dull passerine feeding on bare ground behind the dunes. When she drew FKC's attention to it, he recognised it immediately as a Trumpeter Finch, a species which he had previously seen in Morocco. Joined by Miss A. J. Towns, FKC and AEC observed the bird for four to five minutes, obtained brief notes on it and then watched it seemingly suddenly disappear, as the species so often does. Although FKC was not aware ot any caged Trumpeter Finches, the unlikelihood of a natural origin caused him to dismiss the bird as an escape. News of the record spread, discussion of the bird's origin waxed and interest grew dramatically when it reappeared on the sand dunes at Minsmere about ten days later. On 12th June, it was found there inde• pendently and closely observed by D. J. Holman and R. E. Turley. On 15th June it was rediscovered, on the cliff top to the north, by R. J. Johns and other observers. The following description of its habits and appearance is based on DJH's full notes of 12th June: Dumpy finch with heavy bill; large, round head and plump body; rather larger than accompanying Linnets Acanthis cannabina on the ground and recalling a Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes, both in flight silhouette and action; stance on ground upright; gait a rather springy, bouncing hop. Noticeably short, rounded wings and short tail, both contributing to the dumpy appearance. Plumage pale sandy-brown (but pinker to RET), except for duller, less sandy, plainer brown flight feathers and tail and noticeably bright pink rump, similar in tone to that of male Twite A. flavirostris. Underparts perhaps slightly greyer than upperparts. No sign of wear on wings or tail. Bill large and stumpy, with more gently rounded tip than that of Hawfinch, and strikingly bright pinkish-red; legs pale pink; eyes rather small and dark brown. Kept exclusively to bare, stony and sandy cliff top or shore path, ignoring nearby grass fields. Approachable to 10 m; escape flight sudden and high. Relating the brief notes by FKC and AJT to DJH's description is difficult. To FKC, the bird appeared generally 'pinkish-buff' and its bill (in a brief glimpse) 'yellowish'; to AJT, the chest was 'rosy-pink', this colour indicating a male. The most marked discrepancy is in bill colour and this has led FKC to suggest that there may have been two birds. DJH, however, feels that only one was involved in the various reports. The most economical explanation of the differences is that the bird was a male, probably in its first summer, and still in the process of developing its bare part colours. Just how long this Trumpeter Finch stayed at Minsmere is not known, but, though reports continued into July, the last confirmed sighting was by J. Docwra on 19th June. Meanwhile, 800 km to the northwest of Minsmere, a second bird ap• peared. At about 11.00 hours on 8th June, CRT and Mrs J. M. Tubbs found a dull, ground-feeding finch in an area of eroded shell-sand dune on Handa Island, Sutherland. They were unable to identify jt immediately, but, since it remained on the island until 18.00 hours on th'e 9th, they were able to write notes from which the following description is culled: Small, rather dumpy finch, with conically shaped bill and short tail, approximately size of accompanying Twite and with flight silhouette and action recalling Woodlark Trumpeter Finches 47 Lullula arborea; gait hopping; habitual posture a crouch. Plumage unstreaked sandy buff, paler below, with dusky-brown around bill base and eye (visible only at close range) and dark (perhaps black) primaries and tail feathers; some secondaries also showing black with pale edges. Bill pinky-orange; legs flesh. Approachable to 5-10 m. Silent. The problems of the reviewing committees did not stem from the process of identification. Descriptions of uniformly coloured birds are necessarily brief, but there was no doubt about either of the birds. What had to be explained was their origin. As is usual in these cases, M. D. England pur• sued the question of escapes and concluded that, as the only three known captives in Britain were secure in their cages, the two records should be regarded as referring to wild birds. His expert opinion satisfied most committee members, but it was felt necessary to explore the status of Trumpeter Finches in southern Europe in the hope of finding other records indicative of northward vagrancy. The invasion into Spain Vagrant Trumpeter Finches are known to have been reaching southern Spain since the end of the 19th century and, in April 1961, April 1964 and November 1964, single ones appeared in the vicinity of San Lucar de Barrameda and La Talona, in the province of Cadiz (Hidalgo 1961, 1965). Meanwhile, there had been a single observation in the province of Almeria in 1963, and in that area records then mounted rapidly from 1968. In February 1969, no less than 60 were netted from a flock at a drinking pool at La Canada (Cano 1968) and, following exploration in the same year of the whole wasteland between the city of Almeria, Sierra Alhamilla and Cabo de Gata, Cano (1971) concluded that the species was abundant there. These birds had also become a prime target for trappers. Breeding was first presumed in 1968 (George 1969), such comment being repeated in 1969 and 1970 (Dorka, Pfau and Spaeter 1970, Cano 1971) and finally proved in 1971, the year of the British records (Cano and Konig 1971, Rodriguez 1972); the last reference includes photographic proof of a nest with five chicks. The province of Almeria contains much desolate and arid terrain, with rock slopes and ravines interspersed with scrub- covered or bare levels, and offers the Trumpeter Finch a biotope virtually identical to that occupied by it in parts of North Africa (George 1969). There is no doubt that by 1971 the Trumpeter Finch had become a potentially numerous breeding resident in southeast Spain. It is sad that it was greeted by large-scale trapping. The race involved is presumed to be zedlitzi (northwest Africa and the Sahara), to which the one caught in April 1961 was ascribed by the British Museum (Natural History) (Hidalgo 1961). Other records relevant to vagrancy In addition to the mounting records for mainland Spain, others have been found in Mallorca, again significantly in spring 1971 (per P. J. Grant), but details are lacking. Even so, there was no indication of any further striking northward movements over western Europe until 1973, when on 48 Trumpeter Finches 29th October one was discovered by M. J. Lee on Alderney, Channel Islands, feeding in open fields with House Sparrows Passer domesticus and three other finch species. The details of this record follow: Short, stubby finch, with bill like that of Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula; about the size of accompanying House Sparrows. Plumage generally pink-buff, with pinkish-red face mask like that of a Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis, slightly darker crown, grey nape and wings, paler rump and pale cream undertail-coverts; primaries darker grey than rest of wing; outer tail feathers pale. Bill thick and heavy, pinkish-red; legs as bill. Approachable to under 20 m; when flushed in alarm, perched high. Silent. Once again, no doubt arises about the identification of this bird (it was clearly a male), which provides a connecting link with the two British records. Biology of the species The Trumpeter Finch, first described from upper Egypt in 1823, is the commonest and most widespread of four species in the genus Rhodopechys, which Vaurie (1959) placed after Leucosticte (rosy finches), between Acanthis (linnets) and Carpodacus (rosefinches). In addition to the nominate form from Egypt and Sudan, there are three others: amantum, an island race from the Canaries; zedlitzi, a mainland race discontinuous in northwest Africa and the central and southern Sahara; and crassirostris, another mainland race widespread in southwest Asia, from Sinai to Sind. The Trumpeter Finch is everywhere essentially a resident species, but the up• land populations of the Asian form move down to nearby plains in winter. Clearly, the northwest African form has recently exhibited a pronounced pattern of northward movement, but whether this is in response to climatic change, population pressure or some other cause is not known.