. Great Egret
(Eastern Great Egret) Ardea [alba] modesta Some authorities split as Eastern Great Egret Ardea modesta.
. Crested Honey Buzzard
(Eastern Honey Buzzard, Oriental Honey Buzzard) Pernis [ptilorhynchus] orientalis Crested Honey Buzzard (Indomalayan Honey Buzzard) Pernis ptilorhynchus Many authorities are now suggesting that southern resident forms of Crested Honey Buzzard be split-off from the northern migratory form (e.g. BirdLife/HBW).
. Grey-headed Swamphen or Indochinese Swamphen
Porphyrio [poliocephalus] viridis Some authorities (e.g. BirdLife/HBW) have suggested that this form might warrant full-species status; as Indochinese Swamphen Porphyrio viridis.
. Grey-headed Woodpecker
or Black-naped Woodpecker Picus [canus] guerini Some authorities now split Black-naped Woodpecker as a distinct species (e.g. BirdLife/HBW).
. Ashy Drongo
_Dicrurus leucophaeus some authorities (e.g. BirdLife/HBW) have suggested that the former Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus be split-up into five species of which three:
Blackish Drongo
_Dicrurus(leucophaeus) longicaudatus is resident in W&E Tonkin and North Vietnam.
Chinese White-faced Drongo
_Dicrurus( leucophaeus innexus is winter visitor to E Tonkin, S Annam, Chochinchina.
Sooty Drongo_Dicrurus( leuophaeus) leuophaeus is resident in C&S Annam, Cochinchina.
. Large-billed Crow
(Southern Jungle Crow) Corvus [macrorhynchos] macrorhynchos Eastern Jungle Crow Crow. levaillantii of nearby Thailand is often split-off now by some authorities, as is Southern Jungle Crow Crow. macrorhynchos. Northern continental birds become Large-billed Crow Crow. japonensis in the latter case. The distribution of Eastern and Southern Jungle Crows in Vietnam remains unclear. Literature tells us that it is the latter throughout much of the country, but logically the former should occur. Further research will no doubt clarify things.
. Common Green_Magpie Cissa chinesis
or Yellow-crowned Green Magpie_Cissa [chinensis] margaritae is endemic to the Southern Highlands of Vietnam, Yellow-crowned Green Magpie Cissa margaritae is a potential split (BirdLife/HBW).
. Grey Treepie
(Eastern Grey Treepie) Dendrocitta formosae Some authorities (e.g. BirdLife/HBW) have suggested that western forms (occidentalis [Pakistan-W Nepal]; himalayana [C Nepal & NE India to N Myanmar, SW China, NW Thailand, N,C Laos & N Vietnam (not E Tonkin)]; sarkari [E India] and assimilis [ SW & E Myanmar-N Thailand]) should be split-off as a separate species, Western Grey Treepie Dendrocitta himalayana. The form at Tam Dao (sinica) is aligned with Eastern Grey Treepie.
. Sooty-headed Bulbul
(Northern Sooty-headed Bulbul) Pycnonotus [aurigaster] chrysorrhoides Sooty-headed Bulbul (Southern Sopty-headed Bulbul) Pycnonotus aurigaster Some authorities (e.g. BirdLife/HBW) have suggested that these two forms both warrant species status; Northern with red undertail-coverts, and Southern with yellow.
. Mountain Bulbul
(Northern Mountain Bulbul) Ixos mcclellandii Mountain Bulbul (Southern Mountain Bulbul) Ixos [mcclellandii] tickelli Duller southern forms such as griseiventer, are a potential split from typical northern Mountain Bulbuls (BirdLife/HBW).
. Ashy Bulbul or Brown-backed Bulbul
_Hemixos [flavala] remotus, Brown-backed Bulbul Hemixos remotus, endemic to South Indochina, is a potential split from Ashy Bulbul (BirdLife/HBW).
. Black-throated Bushtit or Grey-crowned Bushtit
_Aegithalos [concinnus] annamensis Many authorities split-off Grey-crowned Bushtit Aegithalos annamensis as a distinct species.
. White-spectacled Warbler
Seicercus affinis ocularis. The endemic race ocularis Dalat Spectacled Warbler, differs genetically and vocally from Himalayan (including Central Vietnamese Highland) birds, and will eventually be split-off.
. Grey-cheeked Warbler
Seicercus poliogenys The populations in the south and centre of Vietnam have different vocalizations from Himalayan birds, and are likely to be split in future.
. Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler or White-throated Scimitar Babbler
_Pomatorhinus [schisticeps] albogularis Three races of Brown-crowned Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus phayrei (split from Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler P. ferruginosus by BirdLife/HBW), albogularis, orientalis and dickinsoni, may in turn form a further distinct species, White-throated Scimitar Babbler P. albogularis (BirdLife/HBW).
. Grey-throated Babbler or Northern Grey-throated Babbler
_Stachyris nigriceps, some authorities (e.g. BirdLife/HBW) have suggested that the southern forms (S Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra & Borneo) be treated as a separate species, Southern Grey-throated Babbler Stachyris larvata.
. Mountain Fulvetta
(Annam Fulvetta) Alcippe [peracensis] annamensis Annam Fulvetta Alcippe annamensis, an Indochinese montane endemic, is a good split from Mountain Fulvetta A. peracensis of the Malay Peninsula.
. Streaked Wren Babbler or Tonkin Streaked Wren Babbler_Napothera [brevicaudata] stevensi and Annam Streaked Wren Babbler
_Turdinus (brevicaudatus) rufiventer. Annam and Tonkin Wren-Babblers are potential split from Streaked Wren Babbler N. brevicaudata (BirdLife/HBW).
. Eyebrowed Wren-Babbler or Austen’s Wren Babbler
_Napothera [epilepidota] roberti, Austen’s Wren Babbler Napothera roberti is a potential split from Eyebrowed Wren Babbler Napothera epilepidota (BirdLife/HBW).
. Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler or Indochinese Wren-Babbler
Rimator danjoui A reasonable year, with a pair at Bi Doup Nui Ba National Park, and one at Bach Ma NP. Strangely, some ‘authorities’ still call this bird Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler Jabouilleia danjoui, even though it has clearly been shown to be congeneric with Rimator and is completely and utterly unrelated to scimitar babblers (apart from being a ‘babbler’).
. Scaly-crowned Babbler or Indochinese Babbler
_Malacopteron [cinereum] indochinense, Indochinese Babbler Malacopteron indochinense is a potential split from Scaly-crowned Babbler Malacopteron cinereum (BirdLife/HBW).
. Blue-winged Minla or Plain Minla
Minla [cyanouroptera] orientalis Endemic Plain Minla Minla orientalis is a potential split from Blue-winged Minla Minla cyanouropteura (BirdLife/HBW).
. Black-headed Sibia or Brownish-backed Sibia
Heterophasia [desgodinsi] engelbachi
. Black-headed Sibia or White-spectacled Sibia
Heterophasia [desgodinsi] robinsoni Both Brownish-backed Sibia Heterophasia engelbachi (S Laos, C Annam) and endemic White-spectacled Sibia Heterophasa robinsoni (S Annam) are potential splits from Black-headed H. desgodinsi (BirdLife/HBW).
. Golden-breasted Fulvetta or Annam Golden-breasted Fulvetta
_Lioparus [chrysotis] robsoni, endemic Annam Golden-breasted Fulvetta Lioparis robsoni is a potential split from Golden-breasted Babbler L. chrysotis (BirdLife/HBW).
. White-browed Fulvetta or Tonkin Fulvetta Fulvetta
[vinipectus] valentinae an endemic Tonkin Fulvetta Fulvetta valentinae is a potential split from White-browed Fulvetta Fulvetta vinipectus (BirdLife/HBW).
. Vinous-breasted Starling or Vinous-breasted Myna
Acridotheres [burmannicus] leucocephalus Vinous-breasted Myna Acridotheres leucocephalus is a proposed and likely future split from Burmese Myna A. burmannicus (BirdLife/HBW). All Acridotheres species are mynas, not starlings, so the I.O.C. name is puzzling.
. Hainan Blue Flycatcher
Cyornis hainanus The form klossi, previously assigned to Blue-throated Flycatcher Cyornis rubeculoides, is now considered to be genetically indistinguishable from the current species, and may only be a morph.
. Large Niltava or Dalat Niltava
_Niltava [grandis] decorate, endemic Dalat Niltava Niltava decorata is a potential split from Large Niltava Niltava grandis (BirdLife/HBW).
. Lesser Shortwing or Langbian Lesser Shortwing
Brachypteryx [leucophris] langbianensis, endemic Langbian Lesser Shortwing Brachypteryx langbianensis is a potential split from Lesser Shortwing B. leucophris (BirdLife/HBW).
. White-browed Shortwing
or Himalayan Shortwing_Brachypteryx [montana] cruralis, Himalayan Shortwing Brachypteryx cruralis is a potential split from other forms of the former White-browed Shortwing Brachypteryx montana (BirdLife/HBW).
. Blue Whistling Thrush or Black-billed Whistling
Thrush Myophonus [caeruleus] caeruleus.
. Blue Whistling Thrush or Yellow-billed Whistling Thrush
Myophonus [caeruleus] flavirostris Nominate black-billed Chinese birds are a potential split from the yellow-billed races of Blue Whistling Thrush (BirdLife/HBW).
. Blue Rock Thrush or Eastern Blue Rock Thrush
Myophonus [solitarius] philippensis Eastern Blue Rock Thrush Myophonus philippensis has been proposed as a distinct species by some authorities, and would include all regional races.
. Thick-billed Flowerpecker or Modest Flowerpecker
_Dicaeum [agile] obsoletum Indian subcontinent agile might be split-off in future, leaving residual forms as Modest Flowerpecker_Dicaeum obsoletum (BirdLife/HBW).
. Olive-backed Sunbird or Ornate Sunbird
_Cinnyris [jugularis] ornatus, the races flammaxillaris in southern areas and rhizophorae in northern areas. Many authorities are now dividing-up the former Olive-backed Sunbird into as many as six species (e.g. BirdLife/HBW).
. Mrs Gould’s Sunbird or Scarlet-breasted Sunbird
_Aethopyga [gouldiae] dabryii.
. Mrs Gould’s Sunbird or Annam Sunbird
Aethopyga [gouldiae] annamensis There is potential for splitting-up the current Mrs Gould’s Sunbird Aethopyga gouldiae into at least three species (BirdLife/HBW). Vietnamese birds would become Scarlet-breasted Sunbird Aethopyga dabryii, apart from endemic Annam Sunbird Aethopyga annamensis in the Southern Highlands.
. Black-throated Sunbird or Langbian Sunbird Aethopyga [saturata] johnsi
The extremely distinctive endemic Langbian Sunbird Aethopyga johnsi is a long overdue split from Black-throated Sunbird A. saturata.
. Crimson Sunbird or Greater Crimson Sunbird_ Aethopyga [siparaja] seheriae
Some authorities (e.g. BirdLife/HBW) propose splitting Asia-wide populations of Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja into three species: Greater Crimson Sunbird A. seheriae (most of mainland Asian range), Lesser Crimson Sunbird A. siparaja (Sundaic Region), and Sulawesi Sunbird A. beccarii (Sulawesi).
. Red Crossbill or Vietnamese Crossbill Loxia [curvirostra] meridionalis
The extremely distinctive endemic Vietnamese Crossbill Loxia meridionalis is a long overdue split from Red Crossbill L. curvirostra.
Annam Sultan Tit
_Melanochlora gayeti is differs from common Sultan Tit in having forehead and crest in black( not yellow, with at most black shaft-streak). It is a near endemic to Center Annam.
Black-eared Parrotbill
_Suthora beaulieui is a near endemic to center highland Vietnam. It is potential split from Black-throated Parrotbill_Suthora nipalensis.
Dalat Treecreeper
Certhia [manipurensis]
meridionalis
Tietze et al. (2006) used vocal and genetic
characters to divide the Brown-throated Treecreeper
C. discolor into a Himalayan species, Sikkim
Treecreeper C. discolor and a South-East Asian
montane species, Manipur (Hume’s) Treecreeper
C. manipurensis. They conceded, however, that
‘morphological differences within C. manipurensis...
are striking, and we would not be surprised to find
strong genetic differences between these taxa’
(Tietze et al. 2006). The most distinctive member
to which they referred is Dalat’s endemic taxon
meridionalis (Plate 10), sadly unsampled by Tietze
et al. (2006), which is the geographically most isolated population and the only member of the
complex that lacks any warmish tones on the
underparts. Future genetic and vocal inquiry may
elevate this form to species level.
Bidoup Fulvetta
_Fulvetta [danisi] bidoupensis
Only described in 1995, in a publication dated 1994
(Eames et al. 1994), the Bidoup Fulvetta (Plate 20)
is currently considered a subspecies of the
Indochinese Fulvetta F. danisi by all authorities.
The taxon is restricted to Bidoup inside BNBNP as
well as a nearby peak, Chu Yang Sin, on the
northern periphery of the Dalat Plateau. In their
initial description, Eames et al. (1994) pointed to
a sufficient number of plumage differences to
suggest that future research may demonstrate the
Bidoup Fulvetta to be a distinct species. The
situation certainly requires more research:
nominate danisi is currently known only from
peaks in Laos, while populations of unknown
affinity from the mountains of Kon Tum in central
Vietnam look distinctly different from bidoupensis
(Plate 21) in the amount of grey versus brown in
the general plumage.
Green-backed Tit
_Parus monticolus legendrei
The Green-backed Tit is a familiar component of
the avifauna of the Himalaya, the mountains of
mainland China and Taiwan and, intriguingly, the
lowlands of central Laos and adjacent Vietnam. On
the Dalat Plateau, it is represented by a geographically
isolated outlier, taxon legendrei, with a much less
vivid plumage dominated by an outsized ventral
stripe. Although the plumage is distinct enough to
have been flagged as of potential taxonomic
significance (del Hoyo & Collar 2016), genetic
research has demonstrated limited divergence,
indicating that subspecies insperatus from Taiwan
may be its closest relative (Wang et al. 2013).
Mountain Bulbul
Hypsipetes mcclellandii
griseiventer
Throughout its range, Mountain Bulbul is
characterised by distinctly-coloured subspecies.
The Dalat Plateau is no exception: subspecies
griseiventer (Plate 32)—with grey underparts—lacks
the typical buff or brown-tinged breast of
neighbouring subspecies further north (Plate 33),
although canescens from the isolated Cambodian
Cardamom hills is an even duller extension of this
plumage theme.
Yellow-browed Tit
_Sylviparus modestus klossi
A species of predominantly Himalayan and Chinese
distribution, the Yellow-browed Tit is one of the most
unobtrusive members of Asia’s montane avifauna.
Subspecies klossi in Dalat is a distantly isolated outlier,
said to be brighter and yellower overall (Robson 2008).
However, both plumage and vocalisations are
generally inconspicuous in this species, making them
of limited use for taxonomic purposes.
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