THE SECOND RECORD OF A FIRETHROAT CALLIOPE PECTARDENS IN THAILAND

Abstract

The second record of an apparently over-wintering Firethroat Calliope pectardens (Muscicapidae) in northern Thailand, a female, caught and ringed following its discovery, is documented. Reference is made to a previous Thai record of the Firethroat’s sister species, the Blackthroat C. obscura. Since the females of both species are very similar, the identity of the present individual was confirmed both by examination in the hand and by DNA assay. The importance of maintaining marginal lowland habitats, such as scrub and reeds along the banks of lowland watercourses and around field margins, so as to maintain biodiversity in intensively agricultural lowland landscapes, is discussed.