Sunbird ?

[Sagar Patil]

Shot it near Pune.

F 4.5 | ISO 100 | 1/320 s

I am confused about this bird. Help in naming and critiques are welcome.

Waiting for Mrudul to post her snap of same bird.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

I think this is Marshall's Iora male in breeding plumage.
Scientific name: Aegithina nigrolutea.

Did you check the tail? in case of Marshall's Iora the tail is black and broad white tip. That is a distinguishing mark from Iora.

Good that some light has fallen on the head. Wish some light on the bird rather than on the vegetation behind. It is good that you got the bird without any distracting vegetation at the front.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Sagar Patil]

Thanks Sabyasachi for identification, I was dumb to recollect its name.
Agree abt comments.

[Mrudul Godbole]

Nice image. Agree about the light. It was quite difficult to photograph it, since the bushes were very dense and it was very quick jumping around. Some more space on the left would have been good. Will post my image soon. Thanks for sharing.

[Abhishek Jamalabad]

Nice shot. Good you got it in the clearing, these birds are annoyingly (:p) active...
I think this is a Common Iora. The range of distribution of Marshall's Iora is restricted to north-west India and Pakistan. (Salim Ali)

[Lakshminarayanan Nataraja]

This looks like common Iora.

Thanks for sharing

[Sabyasachi Patra]

It is not easy to know from the front whether it is a common Iora or Marshall's, especially if it is a female.

I looked at my old Salim Ali 12th edition to get some clarity on other distinguishing characteristics. Quoting from there:

Distribution: The Marshall's Iora replaces the Common Iora in Pakistan, Punjab, Haryana, South U.P., western Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kutch.

The Iora is found along the Himalayas from NWFP (Pakistan) to Arunachal Pradesh, and the rest of India east of a line from Gulf of Cambay through Mount Abu to Gurdaspur (Punjab); Bangladesh; Pakistan; Srilanka; Myanmar. Plains and up to about 1000m.

Call of Marshall's Iora: Distinct from the Iora's, commonly wheeti wheeti. The male's whistle more plaintive.
Call of Iora: The birds keep in touch by sweet long-drawn musical whistles and short chirrups. Its Hindi name Shaubeegi is onomatopaeic. During Courtship display the male springs up into the air with plumage fluffed out and with a variety of sibilant whistles parachutes down in a spiral back to his perch, showing off his colours to best advantage.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Bibhav Behera]

Thanks for the information on the two types of Ioras. I would have liked a rectangular composition here.

[Praveen Siddannavar]

nice shot, looks like Common Iora