Need Help Identifying A Birds Nest

[patekatek]

I have some beautiful birds nests that appeared recently at my home in Kaeng Krachan. I just found them today when walking around the property. I don't know what species of bird builds them and I have "googled" just about everything I can think of and all I get are photos of birds nest soup.

If anyone recognizes these and can educate me on them, I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

don

[gerryBScot]

These nests belong to Baya Weavers ( ploceus manyar/ นกกระจาบอกลาย) ; what distinguishes the nests is the long entrance tube which you can see hanging down; it's a very common resident; male in breeding shows very prominent yellow on the crown and nape; not to be confused with the Asian Golden Weaver the male of which is yellow all over barring wings. There is one other species of weaver - Streaked Weaver and that is much rarer than the other two species, and can be distinguished because its breast, funnily enough, is streaked! It can also be difficult distinguishing the juveniles of all the different species. But the nests are certainly those of Baya Weavers.

Edited August 20, 2013 by gerryBScot

[patekatek]

GerryBScot, I thank you for the super fast response to my question. I think I will have to invest in some birding books. Thanks again for your help.

[gerryBScot]

GerryBScot, I thank you for the super fast response to my question. I think I will have to invest in some birding books. Thanks again for your help.

Don lots of interesting birds in and around your area so getting a field guide would be a good idea. Please also post photos of anything you're lucky enough to get near to - as you probably know already there are a couple of "hides" in operation outside the park and they get some amazing birds strolling in for water. Your Baya Weavers have built their nests above water I see, so who knows what might be drawn in for a drink in the upcoming drier months; might also be an idea to put out some bananas and bits of mango to see what drops in. You might be pleasantly surprised....... kind of depends on whether there is much human disturbance around you. Good luck.

[mamypoko]

These nests belong to Baya Weavers ( ploceus manyar/ นกกระจาบอกลาย) ; what distinguishes the nests is the long entrance tube which you can see hanging down; it's a very common resident; male in breeding shows very prominent yellow on the crown and nape; not to be confused with the Asian Golden Weaver the male of which is yellow all over barring wings. There is one other species of weaver - Streaked Weaver and that is much rarer than the other two species, and can be distinguished because its breast, funnily enough, is streaked! It can also be difficult distinguishing the juveniles of all the different species. But the nests are certainly those of Baya Weavers.

The "You The Man" award goes to you G.!

I would have said hornets. duh!

[CIHUAHUA]

Wow! It is great to see that someone out there knows about birds. I have a question which I hope is not off topic since the question was answered. In CM we have a large red wing bird that looks like a crow. It sounds like a monkey and no other bird sounds like it. I love to see and hear these birds but I can not find any info on the net. What is it

[tolsti]

Sounds very much like the Coucal..... whoops like a monkey. Equally happy walking around as flying.

https://www.google.com/search?q=coucal+bird&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=O58UUvWjHcqxrgfDvYCgBw&sqi=2&ved=0CEQQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=587

Sounds are here....http://www.graemechapman.com.au/library/viewphotos.php?c=78

Edited August 21, 2013 by tolsti

[Beetlejuice]

These nests belong to Baya Weavers ( ploceus manyar/ นกกระจาบอกลาย) ; what distinguishes the nests is the long entrance tube which you can see hanging down; it's a very common resident; male in breeding shows very prominent yellow on the crown and nape; not to be confused with the Asian Golden Weaver the male of which is yellow all over barring wings. There is one other species of weaver - Streaked Weaver and that is much rarer than the other two species, and can be distinguished because its breast, funnily enough, is streaked! It can also be difficult distinguishing the juveniles of all the different species. But the nests are certainly those of Baya Weavers.

I can confirm that, we have them in our garden. For some reasons they prefer to build their nests in lime trees.

Beautiful birds, about the size of a small finch.

[Thongkorn]

Fantastic Bird, they do not build there nest the same many build different shapes. and sizes.

[gerryBScot]

Wow! It is great to see that someone out there knows about birds. I have a question which I hope is not off topic since the question was answered. In CM we have a large red wing bird that looks like a crow. It sounds like a monkey and no other bird sounds like it. I love to see and hear these birds but I can not find any info on the net. What is it

As Tolsti says sounds like a Coucal. Two possibilities: a Greater or Lesser Coucal though they are quite difficult to separate. They are quite skittish. The Greater is significantly bigger with much larger and stouter bill. Both can be found up north and the Lesser is a bit harder to see.

[AjarnNorth]

As for Coucals, should not be too difficult to separate.

Greater, as stated above, noticably larger. But only in breeding plumage does the Lesser much resemble the Greater. Otherwise the Lesser has prominent white streaks on the head and neck and back.

Also, as far as habitat, Greater Coucals most likely to be seen in fairly dry areas while lesser Coucals seem to favor marshy areas.

Call is also different - best to get a good field guide to get speciffic info on all this - but in short the Greater sounds more like a monkey than the Lesser.

Attached here are not very good photos of each, both taken in Surin.

[AjarnNorth]

On Weavers... As gerryBscot points out above, the Streaked Weaver much less common than the others and I have only seen them on a couple occasions.

Nests posted by OP (nice pics, Don) are - as already ID'd - those of Baya Weavers. Interesting to know that one male will often make several nests so as to attract as many females as possible. So not uncommon to see a group of nests with only one male present and multiple females.

Asian Golden Weaver make nests in reeds in marshy areas which are sort of messy in comparrison and round with no entrance tube. Male Baya and Male Asian Golden Weavers are easy to tell apart (phots below).

Females of each a bit tricky to separate without a good look or photo, but weavers tend to stay fairly close to nests and are therefore easy to separate.

Edited August 21, 2013 by AjarnNorth

[patekatek]

Wow! Thanks to everyone for their input regarding the photos of the nests I posted. Very interesting and educational feedback. Now I will have to go to the pond with a camera and see if I can get a photo of the nest makers.

[hanno]

And if you look for a bird guide book: Birds of South East Asia by Craig Robson. Get the latest edition (2011). No drawings of nests though.

[gerryBScot]

And if you look for a bird guide book: Birds of South East Asia by Craig Robson. Get the latest edition (2011). No drawings of nests though.

I have this one Hanno and like it but my preference is for the Round & Lekagul guide, Birds of Thailand, which is completely out of date, at least 20 years old, and it's much sought after and very expensive if you can find one. Grab it if you see it, it's a real gem notwithstanding it's age.

[hanno]

I have it and had it for a looong time. But, as you said: it is woefully out of date. Plus I bird all over SE Asia and thus the Robson is better for me. Even if it does not have the latest endemic recently discovered here in Cambodia...

[AjarnNorth]

Have you sen it, Hanno? Much different than the Dark-necked? I understand the call is what makes it easy to separate...

I also prefer Round & Lekagul but also have and often refer to the more recent Robson.

Philip Round also has a book called "Birds of the Bangkok Area" which I highly recommend. it is NOT a field guide (much too large to be carrying around in the field) and it does not cover every species that occurs in Central Thailand, but it has a lot of information on all of the species it does cover and the information that is there goes way beyond what is in either of the aforementioned field guides.

Even if you do not live in Central Thailand, it's a great book to have around. I bought when I lived in the Northeast and though now i am again in Central Thailand I think it was as useful to me up there as it is here, as many of the species of course occur throughout Thailand and other parts of SE Asia.

[hanno]

Have you sen it, Hanno? Much different than the Dark-necked? I understand the call is what makes it easy to separate...

I also prefer Round & Lekagul but also have and often refer to the more recent Robson.

Philip Round also has a book called "Birds of the Bangkok Area" which I highly recommend. it is NOT a field guide (much too large to be carrying around in the field) and it does not cover every species that occurs in Central Thailand, but it has a lot of information on all of the species it does cover and the information that is there goes way beyond what is in either of the aforementioned field guides.

Even if you do not live in Central Thailand, it's a great book to have around. I bought when I lived in the Northeast and though now i am again in Central Thailand I think it was as useful to me up there as it is here, as many of the species of course occur throughout Thailand and other parts of SE Asia.

No, not yet. I am heading to PP in a couple of weeks to look for it.

I have the "Birds of the Bangkok area" (I have a few hundred bird books), great book indeed.

[gerryBScot]

I guess every field guide is out of date before it reaches the shelves. I love that Round book on Bangkok birds and as far as I know it is still print and in the shops - it really was a labour of love, you can tell that from reading the text and it is beautifully illustrated.