Swinhoe's Minivet

• The following pages have some identification markers for each of the Minivets found in India

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Sno. Name Binomial Name 1 Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus 2 Grey-Chinned Minivet Pericrocotus solaris 3 Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus 4 Orange Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus 5 Rosy Minivet Pericrocotus roseus 6 Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus speciosus 7 Short-billed Minivet Pericrocotus brevirostris 8 Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus 9 White-bellied Minivet Pericrocotus erythropygius

©www.ogaclicks.com Ashy Minivet Identification Tips Ashy Minivet : Pericrocotus divaricatus: Winter visitor to Central & South India Black loral stripe White forecrown Narrow black forehead band Black hindcrown

Bill is black Black nape

White chin & throat White half-collar at neck-sides Crown Grey White breast Upperparts uniform steel-grey

Grey nape White patch on closed wing Wings are sooty black edged steel grey Underparts White Uppertail-coverts Grey Upperparts metallic purple-blue

Grey wings Tail black Legs are black Dull white underparts

Tail black Male

Female Difference from male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Important id point Inskipp and Grimmett www.HBW.com Grey-Chinned Minivet Identification Tips Grey-Chinned Minivet : Pericrocotus solaris: Resident of Himalayas & North East India Leaden black Crown Dark brown iris Grey Cheek & ear-coverts

Bill is black Leaden black nape Chin pale grey

Throat orange Upperparts leaden black Crown dark grey-brown Greater coverts tipped scarlet merging Dark grey-brown nape into scarlet of Primary (P1-P7)

Greenish yellow Upperparts Underparts scarlet Blackish Flight feathers orange

Central of tail black, edged vermilion near Dull yellow underparts tip, sides are vermilion with black bases Yellow patch on Legs are black Black wings

Male Central of tail black, edged yellow near tip, sides are yellow with black bases Difference from male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Female Important id point Inskipp and Grimmett www.HBW.com Long-tailed Minivet Identification Tips Long-tailed Minivet : Pericrocotus ethologus : Resident of Himalayas & North East India; winter visitor to Central India Crown black, glossed blue Dark brown iris Cheek & ear-coverts are black, glossed blue

Bill is black Black, glossed blue nape Chin black Yellowish band Throat black Upperparts black, glossed blue on forehead Greater coverts tipped scarlet merging Dark grey crown Black eye stripe into scarlet of Primary (P1-P7)

Second red line (along Grey ear-coverts secondary/tertial edges) Greyish-olive Underparts scarlet Upperparts Chin and upper throat whitish Centre of long tail black, sides are scarlet with Dull yellow underparts black bases

Yellow patch on Legs are black Black wings Underwing-coverts orange-chrome

Male Central of tail black,, sides are yellow with black bases

Difference from male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Female Important id point Inskipp and Grimmett www.HBW.com Orange Minivet Identification Tips Orange Minivet : Pericrocotus flammeus: Resident of Western Ghats , hills of Kerala & Tamilnadu in India Crown black, glossed blue Dark brown iris Cheek & ear-coverts are black, glossed blue

Bill is black Black, glossed blue nape Chin black Upperparts black, glossed blue Yellowish band Throat black on forehead Greater coverts tipped scarlet Black eye stripe Dark grey crown merging into scarlet of Primary Fiery orange-red back Yellow ear-coverts Underparts Orange-red Isolated red markings Greyish-olive near tips of tertials and Upperparts inner secondaries. Chin and upper throat whitish Orange-red Rump & Yellow Back Uppertail coverts Dull yellow underparts

Centre of long tail black, Yellow patch on Legs are black sides are red Yellow Rump Black wings & Uppertail coverts Male Central of tail black, sides are yellow

Female Difference from male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Important id point Inskipp and Grimmett www.HBW.com Orange Minivet Identification Tips Orange Minivet : Pericrocotus flammeus: Resident of Western Ghats , hills of Kerala & Tamilnadu in India Crown black, glossed blue Dark brown iris Cheek & ear-coverts are black, glossed blue

Centre of long tail black, Yellow patch on Legs are black sides are red Yellow Rump Black wings & Uppertail coverts Male Central of tail black, sides are yellow

Female Difference from male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Important id point Inskipp and Grimmett www.HBW.com Rosy Minivet Identification Tips Rosy Minivet : Pericrocotus roseus: Resident of Himalayas & North East India; winter visitor to East India Crown grey Whitish forehead Black Lores Cheek & ear-coverts are white Bill is black Grey nape Chin whitewashed pink Throat blackwashed pink Upperparts brownish-grey Olive-tinged grey crown Greater coverts tipped Black eye stripe vermillion merging into Olive-tinged grey vermillion of Primary ear-coverts Rosy back Underparts Pink Olive-tinged Distal outer webs of grey Upperparts tertials and inner Chin and upper throat whitish secondaries vermilion Olive-yellow Back Dull yellow underparts Rosy Rump & Uppertail coverts Yellow patch on Legs are black Black wings Male Distal outer webs of tertials and inner secondaries Yellow Centre of long tail black, Olive yellow Rump & Uppertail coverts sides are vermillion

Central of tail black, sides are yellow Difference from male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Female Important id point Inskipp and Grimmett www.HBW.com Scarlet Minivet Identification Tips Scarlet Minivet : Pericrocotus flammeus speciosus: Resident of Himalayas , hills of central & East India, Eastern Ghats of Andhra& Andaman in India Crown black, glossed blue Dark brown iris Cheek & ear-coverts are black, glossed blue

Bill is black Black, glossed blue nape Chin black Upperparts black, glossed blue Yellowish forehead Throat black

Narrow Black eye stripe Greater coverts tipped dark Dark grey crown scarlet merging into dark scarlet of Primary

Yellow ear-coverts Isolated red markings Underparts dark red near tips of tertials and Greyish-olive inner secondaries. Upperparts Chin and upper throat whitish Orange-red Rump & Uppertail coverts Black Back Dull yellow underparts Centre of long tail black, sides are red

Yellow patch on Legs are black Black wings

Male Central of tail black, sides are yellow

Female Difference from male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Important id point Inskipp and Grimmett www.HBW.com Short-billed Minivet Identification Tips Short-billed Minivet : Pericrocotus brevirostris: Resident of Himalayas & North East India Dark brown iris Crown black, glossed blue Dark brown iris Cheek & ear-coverts are black, glossed blue Bill is black Black, glossed blue nape Chin black

Yellowish forehead Throat black Upperparts black, glossed blue Ashy grey crown Narrow Black eye stripe Greater coverts tipped dark crimson merging into dark Yellow-washed greyish crimson of Primary ear-coverts Deep crimson back Ashy grey Underparts crimson Upperparts Chin and upper throat yellow Crimson Rump & Black Back Uppertail coverts Dull yellow underparts

Centre of tail is black, Yellow patch on Legs are black sides are crimson Black wings

Male Central of tail black, sides are yellow

Female Difference from male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Important id point Inskipp and Grimmett www.HBW.com Small Minivet Identification Tips Small Minivet : Pericrocotus brevirostris: Widespread resident in India Grey Crown White forehead Dark Grey lores White supercilium Black face Black Bill Grey upperparts Paler grey Crown Black Chin & Coverts sooty black, Paler grey upperparts Throat greater coverts tipped orange Orange Greater coverts White Chin breast Orange back tipped yellow & Throat

Creamy yellow Black flight feathers underparts with yellow flash Orange tinged olive Orange uppertail uppertail coverts & Underparts coverts & rump rump greyish white Black legs with yellow Black tail suffusion P. c. pallidus – NW India P. c. vividus – Central Himalayas, East India & Andaman Islands

Pale grey Pale Orange back upperparts Breast bright Orange reddish-orange restricted to upper Lower belly & breast vent is yellow

Black flight feathers with Bright yellow flash

Difference from male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent Inskipp and Grimmett ©www.ogaclicks.com Difference from Nominate www.HBW.com Swinhoe's Minivet (Brown-rumped Minivet) Identification Tips Swinhoe's Minivet (Brown-rumped Minivet) : Pericrocotus cantonensis : Vagrant in India White forehead Crown is Charcoal -grey Black Loral stripe Cheek & ear-coverts are white Bill is black White collar

Narrow Black Chin & throat white eye stripe Upperparts are Grey Grey forehead Ashy grey crown Coverts are Grey Vinous underparts washed ashy grey

Grey-brown Chin and upper throat white Black Wings Upperparts

Off white underparts Brownish Black Tail

Vent white yellowish patch on closed wing Legs are black

Male

Female Difference from male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Important id point Inskipp and Grimmett www.HBW.com White-bellied Minivet Identification Tips White-bellied Minivet : Pericrocotus erythropygius : Resident in North, West & Central India & Hills of Nilgiris in South India Crown is blue-black Dark brown iris Cheek & ear-coverts are blue-black Bill is black Blue-black nape Chin & throat black Narrow Black White collar eye stripe Upperparts blue-black Whitish forehead Ashy grey crown Orange Greater coverts white breast patch Grey-brown Tertials broadly ear-coverts edged white

Grey-brown Chin and upper throat yellow Black primaries Upperparts narrowly edged white- Underparts brown Orange Tinged ashy on breast White Back

White underparts Vent white

White patch on Black wings Legs are black

Male Black tail with white edges Black tail with white edges

Female Difference from male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Important id point Inskipp and Grimmett www.HBW.com Ashy Vs Swinhoe’s Minivet Comparison ©www.ogaclicks.com Ashy Minivet Swinhoe's Minivet

Brown wash on the Grey back and rump back and rump

White underparts Vinous underparts with Brown wash

White supercilium Black band on up to the eye Thinner loral stripe forehead White supercilium extending well behind the eye

Ashy Swinhoe's Minivet Minivet Red colour Minivets Comparison Short-billed Minivet Scarlet Minivet

Narrow crimson streak Isolated red merging the markings near coverts with tips of tertials Primaries and inner secondaries.

Long-tailed Minivet Orange Minivet

Second red line (along Isolated red secondary/tertial markings edges) near tips of tertials and inner secondaries.