We sent out another list of questions to bird guides who have already been profiled on 10,000 Birds. In the seventh edition of this second series, we ask
Which bird in your area is most overrated?
Here are the answers.
Nordmann’s Greenshank. Zhang Lin, China
SA- the vultures. Not pretty and charismatic, but all of our African Vultures are endangered. They play such a crucial role in the ecosystem. Uganda- Bar-tailed Trogon. Once you have worked and seen one, they are stunning. Marc Cronje, East and Southern Africa
In Extremadura, some people get very excited about Common Waxbills and Red Avadavats. They are introduced species that fail to excite me in any major way. David Lindo, Spain
Scarlet Ibis. It’s an ibis. It’s red. Get over it. Faraaz Abdool, Trinidad & Tobago
These days, Red Kite. People get so excited, but in reality, they’re all over the place. John Hague, UK
The Andean Condor. Majestic, yes, but it overshadows equally fascinating species like the Black?chested Buzzard?Eagle. Tourists often fixate only on condors, missing subtler raptors soaring nearby. Marcelo Carlos De Cruzky, Argentina
Green Hylia: One of the dull collared birds, but many clients want to see it. Kwame Brown, Ghana
Shoebill stork. Magada Haily Miriam, Uganda
Olive-tree Warbler, just because it is hard to get. Nothing exciting about its looks or song. Spyros Skareas, Greece
None. Derek Lovich, Maine, USA
The most overrated bird in my area is the Hyacinth Macaw, the largest parrot in the world! René Santos, Brazil
The populations of magnificent frigatebirds are growing, but many people love to watch the males during courtship. Sandra Maria Plua Alban, Ecuador
The Indian Paradise Flycatcher. They are everywhere. From the beach to the mountains. Savio Fonseca, India
Rare visitors and escaped zoo birds. I’m not one of those people who drive all over Germany just to see, say, a Palla`s Leaf Warbler or an Eastern Imperial Eagle and tick them off my list (I don’t have a list – I’ll make one later at the retirement home). I prefer to travel to the countries where these birds (and the other native birds) actually live. Rolf Nessing, Germany
The editor:
The answers show that “overrated” is a very relative concept in birding. Some guides are unimpressed by birds that tourists obsess over simply because they are rare, huge, colorful, or difficult to find — whether that means condors, Shoebills, Scarlet Ibises, or birds that are suddenly everywhere after conservation success. Others roll their eyes at species whose main attraction seems to be “hard to tick.” Still, even the most dismissive comments usually come with an undertone of affection: birders may complain about the hype, but they still spend a remarkable amount of time talking about the birds anyway.
Photo: Mandarin Duck, Nanhui, Shanghai, November 2017
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