9443 Can you identify this bird?

It looks very much like a Redstart, from what detail I can see in the photo, Phil.

Have a look through the [URL="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/redstart/index.asp"]RSPB[/URL] description of one and see if it fits.

The name that flashed into my mind was black redstart..... never seen one but I was always interested in birds..... yes both kinds .... and looked at a lot of books

Thank you Nardini I would say you are correct - certainly the birdsong is almost identical to that on the link. It must be a male based on the description.
I did try to get a better picture - spent ages sitting in the garden (that's my excuse) but he (the bird) wasn't for posing for me.

I cannot identify it, but it is gorgeous.

Just checked, there is a black redstart but that is not one, it is definitely a redstart.

Yes its a Redstart, we have them visiting us too now, also the Nightingales have started singing again, and the Cuckoos are back, we have open fields and woodland around us in these hills which makes it the perfect habitat for lots of species.We have a book "The Birds of England and Europe" published by Collins in 1972 authors Hermann Heinzel, Richard Fitter and John Parslow, which is an excellent reference, not sure if it is still in print though.
A

Seems Collins is the publisher for books on birds. I cannot find the one with the title you have given though Angie but there are many gems here - [url=http://www.collins.co.uk/books.aspx?group=86]Collins - collins.co.uk - Home of Collins Reference, Leisure and Lifestyle publishing[/url]

Which would be the name in Italian... perhaps "pettirosso"? We also see them in the North of Spain, particularly in parks around this time of the year and the birdsong is identical to the one on the site. I will look for them in Tuscany when we go next week.

Found this guide to Italian birds, (no no, I mean the tweet tweet ones!!!) You can buy it online [url=http://www.superpetshop.it/it-product_info-n-Manuale_per_il_riconoscimento_degli_uccelli_italiani_editoriale_Olimpia-products_id-753-manufacturers_id-34.html]editoriale Olimpia Manuale per il riconoscimento degli uccelli italiani su SuperPetShop.it, offerte, promozioni e prezzi[/url]

Also a nice link where to go bird watching in Italy - [url=http://www.camacdonald.com/birding/euitaly.htm]Where do you want to go birding in Italy today?[/url]

[quote=Gala Placidia;88564]Which would be the name in Italian... perhaps "pettirosso"? .[/quote]

Other end is red!

Pettirosso = robin

Codirosso = redstart

Yes it's a Redstart and Gala a pettirosso is of course a Robin redbreast.

hi Phil
I also believe it's a Redstart, the Black Redstarts' wings are more grey and its cap is grey rather than white.
Their tail never seems to be still.
We had a new bird the other day, a Blue Rock Thrush a first for me.

Stribs

There is another good bird book called:-
Hamlyn Guide
Birds Of Britain And Europe
written by Bertel Bruun, HakanDelin and Lars Svensson
ISBN 978-0-7537-0956-6
This was previously published as the
Country Life Guide to Birds of Britain and Europe
I find this a very informative book with plenty of useful information and bird illustrations.

Francesca

Can I make a plea for using latin names? It really is (for flora and fauna) a completely international nomenclature. The redstart/codirosso is phoenicurus phoenicurus, and the codirosso spazzacamino (don't you just love that!) is phoenicurus ochuros. ([url=http://www.argonauti.org/birds/speciebirds/codirsspaz.html]codirosso spazzacamino - Phoenicurus ochruros[/url]) the black redstart.

If we link to a latin name then it doesn't matter whether we are in Italy, Greece, Croatia, Venezuala or Zimbabwe! You know it makes sense....

Excellent suggestion Charles!

If any nature lovers can get R4 every afternoon at 3.45pm is 'An Italian Bestiary'.It was all about dormice on Monday and as I have a soft spot for them I enjoyed it immensly.Tune in.

Ideally yes Charles but in most cases they are fairly difficult to remember and unlikely that when you speak with others that they will know what the hell you are talking about!!!

[quote=Charles Phillips;88619]Can I make a plea for using latin names? ...If we link to a latin name then it doesn't matter whether we are in Italy, Greece, Croatia, Venezuala or Zimbabwe! You know it makes sense....[/quote]
I was sitting on the terrace a few minutes ago, enjoying watching a pair of Streptopelia Decaocto feeding their young, when a Pica Pica flew overhead, disturbing several Sterna Dougallii that were busily eating bugs out of the tree. Then an Otus Scops flicked it's beak in the general direction of a sleeping Phoenicopterus Ruber, causing it to hiccup and regurgitate the delicious worm it had ben sipping.

No. I think English names on an English language forum would be best, eh?

:winki::bigergrin:

That would be great Charles if I wasnt still struggling with the Italian names for things, but you have prompted me to look in the dictionary for porcospino, a fat little one, the first I have seen out here, was trotting in front of us when we returned home late from the Amandola area. Much less populated than in my hills, so probably much more common, was still exciting to see one though. Maybe we should set up an animal/bird watch as so many members have taken an interest in this thread?.

A

[quote=Nardini;88633]I was sitting on the terrace a few minutes ago, enjoying watching a pair of Streptopelia Decaocto feeding their young, when a Pica Pica flew overhead, disturbing several Sterna Dougallii that were busily eating bugs out of the tree. Then an Otus Scops flicked it's beak in the general direction of a sleeping Phoenicopterus Ruber, causing it to hiccup and regurgitate the delicious worm it had ben sipping.

No. I think English names on an English language forum would be best, eh?

:winki::bigergrin:[/quote]

Well I didn't quite mean it that way! Just that when identifyng something it is kind of handy to have a 'fixed' name to attach like a footnote :smile:

Yes - one handsome redstart, black redstarts are , well, more black particularly around the head and upper body. You need lightning-quick reflexes for bird watching in Italy as they disappear in to cover v quickly. My favourite is the bee-eater which we get in singles in the summer and in flocks in the autumn. Is it true that the Italians have at last got the message and do not shoot small birds any more? Is it illegal?

Yes we've mentioned before how difficult birdwatching is in Italy; I've just come back from walking our dog in Cornwall and in the woods saw 2 blackcaps, a whitethroat and 3 chiff-chaffs (sorry Charles forget Latin names!!) all birds were singing in trees just a few feet from us.The blackcap in particular has a beautiful song.

In contrast 'our' oak woods in Italy usually only yeild up woodpeckers and long tailed tits!The other birds are there but never seem to emerge so you can watch them.

The italian bird protection site is called LIPU if you want to find out more about birds in Italy.

Phil,

Someone just told me that there's a new reference book for Piedmontese birds, he said it's called the Atlante dei Uccelli Nidificante di Piemonte and published by the Gruppo Ornotologico Piemontese. Might be overkill...

Thanks to all for contributions. The Piemonte book sounds interesitng - I will try and get one.

Interestingly (full moon or whatever - the birds seem to singing all night at the moment) - and the excessive amount of rain is keeping them very happy....