The first records of Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis in Oman and Arabia
| ONE OF THE FIRST claims JE received as a member of the Oman Bird Records Committee (OBRC) was of Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis: the observer, Conrad Greaves, had reported singles at Khor Taqah on 20 July 1984 and at East Khor, Salalah on 9 June-18 July 1986 (the second occurrence documented with photographs). CG was well-known to the committee as a careful observer with over 30 new species to the Oman Bird List to his credit. The descriptions and photographs were sent
to James Hancock for confirmation, who considered the occurrences likely to relate to Yellow Bittern. The claims were filed as probables.
The next claim was from Ian Brown, another experienced birder. IB reported three birds in flight for five seconds at Khor Rouri on 21 June 1996, too brief an observation to gain acceptance. We decided to seek further evidence of this species' occurrence whilst in the Salalah area on 29-31 May 1997. Arriving at the reedbeds at the upper end of East Khor at 07.00, within minutes we had seen several small Ixobrychus bitterns both perched and in flight. In addition to several juveniles, at least four adult males in breeding plumage were present and appeared quite different from Little Bittern I. minutus which breeds in the area. The following notes were taken over three mornings. |
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| Description |
Size and shape. As Little Bittern, which was present for direct comparison. Upperparts. Crown blue-grey (no black), back unstreaked beige. Side of neck chestnut when feathers ruffled. Beige wing patch, paler than mantle. Underparts. Throat paler beige than rest of underparts., no streaking or, at most, very taint streaking on breast. In flight, pattern similar to Little Bittern, but no black on crown or mantle. Black flight feathers. Beige back and wing-coverts forming large beige patches on wings, but not as contrasting as on Little Bittern. Bare parts. Upper part of upper mandible black, lower part and lower mandible straw coloured. Black eye-ring, bright yellow iris. Lores and base of bill red (bright red on one individual). Legs greenish yellow. Voice. 'Orh, orh' at one-second intervals. Sounded different from Little Bittern’s 'orrrh, orrrh' which we had on tape and played at the Site. Habits. In early morning, sat in top of reeds and often flew short distances. Also seen creeping through the reeds. We obtained a few photographs (Plates 1 and 2), but open water separated us from the reedbed and we were unable to get closer. The blue-grey crown, lack of black on the crown and mantle, and the red facial patch excluded Little Bittern. Comparison between our photographs and those of CG convinced us we had observed the same species.
Our description and photographs were sent to Richard Porter and he and Mike Crosby had no doubt that the birds were Yellow Bitterns. Our photos matched perfectly breeding season photographs of Yellow Bittern in Japan. OBRC formally accepted our claim in December 1997 as well as the earlier records by CG and IB. The Salalah birds have been seen several times subsequently. The birds are active prior to 08.00, but very secretive thereafter. All observations are in summer (29 April-21 August). We suspect that the birds leave Oman in winter, although their destination is unknown. Yellow Bittern breeds from the Indian Subcontinent north and east through China to south-east Siberia, Japan, west Oceania and Indochina, the Philippines, Indonesia and New Guinea. An isolated population breeds on the Seychelles and it has occurred as a vagrant on Christmas Island and in Australia, Northern populations winter south to Indonesia (Sibley & Monroe 1990).
SIBLEY, C. G. AND MONROE, B. L., JNR. (1990) Distribution and taxonomy of the birds of the world. Yale University Press, New Haven & London. Hanne & Jens Eriksen, SQU - Science - Chemistry, P O. Box 36, Al. Khod 123, Sultanate of Oman. |
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