Dear All,
Some good lovebirds are flocking in, and it will take a while to sort
through, however you cannot send enough, but here is a gem.


On the left are three images of Ndutu birds sent in by David Bygott,
on the right is a pair of lovebirds from the Serengeti Western
Corridor sent in by Adam Kennedy.


These western birds are moving closer to what is the form that I am

currently considering as a pure bird. You can see that compared to
Ndutu, the dirty blacksish wash on the face and olive to blackish
crown is replaced by golden crown, and the lack of dark on the cheeks
of Adams birds also have a suffusion of orange with gives a greater
impression of orange over the entire head. The flame colouration is
purer. The only Yellow-collared throwback, is that there is still too
much yellow across the breast, although this is tinged with orange
closer to the throat. However these birds are far closer to what is
thought the pure Fischer’s than the birds in Ndutu. Another important
feature here is that the Serengeti WC birds are absolutely identical,
and it would be safe to assume, typical representations of the birds
in that region.


I think that this does show that Ndutu birds have strong
Yellow-collared affinity, and that whilst there is a stability in the
plumage now, some time in the past Yellow-collared and Fischer’s did
hybridise in a natural and not man-made state, and the two forms have
fallen back to core populations with very little contact now, which is
securing a constant appearance. But the discussion is still very much
open,



Best for now
Brian