SANParks.org Forums

Those small brown birds so many of us battle to identify, affectionately named Little Brown Jobs or LBJs for short by birders, can really be a pain especially if you want to increase the bird sightings list of your last trip.

Use this area to post photos of those LBJs you find difficult to identify and maybe some of the forum members might be able to be of assistance.

Remember only LBJs here. If you need a raptor identified go here and for all other birds you can go here.

Thanks, Lizet, that makes total sense — I just couldn't see it on my own

Another birdie that I've no clue what it might be The only birds I know of that have such distinct white eye 'make-up' are white eyes and and bulbuls, and it's not (I'm fairly certain ) either of those. And while I've searched thru my field guide several times, I've found nothing else anywhere similar Am I missing something obvious? Seen at Nylsvley on 27 April 2012.

Hi Arks

From what I can make out, it looks to me like a White Browed Scrub-Robin.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, DD I've googled a bit and found plenty that are very similar to this birdie.

Hi mel123, DotDan and Ladybirder - thanks for the help. I have looked again carefully and agree with the Spike-heeled Lark. I didn't look closley enough at the bill. Thanks for the help.

Pete in a very cold and wet Paarl

Cisticolas continue to baffle me The first one I saw near Olifants in KNP on 25 April 2012. I'd thought that it was Levaillant's, only now, reading in another thread, it seems that Levaillant's doesn't occur in KNP? So it might be rattling or wailing or rufouswinged?



This second one I saw at Nylsvley (Limpopo) on 27 April 2012. Is it a Levaillant's?

To me they both look like Rattling.

First one Rattling cisticola
second one definitely not Levaillant's, it has more black markings on back.It looks also like a Rattling.

Thanks so much, MattAxel and Ladybirder!

Slowly starting to index my bird sightings, unfortunately I am not yet mastering the art of identifying many of them with enough certainty to log them.

So here the first of a few seen this weekend in Marakele NP. With many of them I have a good idea what they might be bu looking fir confirmation. Others like the below I have no idea. Shape and size tells me Crombec of some sort, but doesn't fit any in my book very well. Also might be slightly larger than the 8-12cm mentioned in the book although not by much.

Here the we go, was must running around the campsite (at a distance) mid-day. Seemed very alert (looking around) was not picking the ground for food. the two pics are of the same bird in different posses.



Later that day this one was sitting in the bush next to the tent before fleeing the paparazzi pointing the camera at it. Same as above? At least there are some similarities yet still looks different to me. Again Crombec comes into mind but still doesn't fit the illustrations in my book



Thanks in advance, Michael

Next up is this fairly long-tailed LBJ, fits Cape Wagtail on many accounts, but misses the dark breast band
Again seen on campsite, was very active jumping from branch to branch. Didn't stay long.




Thanks in advance, Michael

Closest I can get to this one is Levaillant's cisticola. Mainly because I can't get it to look like anything else. Photo quality doesn't help. Was seen in a bush at campsite just around sunset.



Thanks in advance, Michael

Hi, I think this is a Grey-tit flycatcher, which is a nice tick!
The white outer tail feathers and fanning of the tail (seen in one photograph) as well as behaviour fits. A wagtail is normally found on the ground. It wouldn't be hopping about in a tree, so the bird's behaviour also helps us in IDing it.

Cisticolas are notoriously difficult.
It's definitely not a Levaillant's - the back is far too plain. I think it might be a Neddicky.