New Member, Blue-naped Mousbird questions

[srtiels]

Hi...I am a private breeder of mousebirds in South Florida. I am wondering if someone would know how to identify the various subspecies of Blue-Naped Mousebirds. I have purchased blue-naped mousebirds from several sources and there is a big various in colors and traits.

I just bought a pair of mousebirds and they look entirely different than what I am used to. They are larger, darker, and very ungainly, and not gracefull moving. They are similar in build to a red-face3d, but I don't beleive they are hybrids, because there have been no private breeders of red-faced in my state, and actually few to no breeders of mousebirds, aside from zoos or parks.

I was wondering if someone can identify the subspecies of mosusebirds in the first two links below.

New pair looks simliar to this bird (photo from the internet): http://www.cloudforestvoices.com/CFVimages/Blue-naped-Mousebird-web.jpg

Imports I bought 2 years ago. They have a more browhish color to their back: MAY 2010 Blue-naped babies pictures by Mousebirds-and-more - Photobucket

Most commonly seen with private captive breeders: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Urocolius_macrourus-20090110B.jpg

I work with: white-backed, red-faced, blue-naped, and will soon have some Speckled mousebirds. I am working on a mousebird website, that is still under construction: Welcome to the wonderfulworld of Mousebirds - HOME

 

[Blackduiker]

Welcome to ZooChat srtiels, interesting website. And you've come to the right place I'm sure.

 

[bongorob]

Your first picture looks like U.m.griseogulairs, but so does the third.

I don't know which ssp is in the second photo.

I can't confirm either description though.

From HBW volume 6

U.m.macrourus
ash-grey plumage tinged with brown above, tinged with greyish-buff below, bright turquoise-blue patch on nape,

western subspecies
U.m.syntactus paler, more yellowish than nominate, with which it is often merged.
U.m.laenei smaller and paler than syntacus

eastern subspecies
have darker colouratin and bluish tinge on wings and tail
U.m.pulcher reddish tinge on breast
U.m.abyssinicus whiter throat and darker breast
U.m.griseogularis darker than previous two with vinous wash on throat and breast.
U.m.massaicus paler and more greyish

 

[srtiels]

Thanks bongorob...

I took a pix of the new pair in question today (1st pix)

And the 2nd pix is of my other imports which have a browner cast, and several of them also have an off white on the throat similar to the U.M. abyssinicus and the reddish tinge is more near the vent.