Several specimens recently added to the bird collection of the Institute of Ornithology, Kyung Hee University, and some live birds obtained from bird shops in Seoul constitute new and noteworthy records. White-winged Crossbill. Loxia leucoptera bifasciata. The first record of this species for Korea is a pair caught from a large flock of Red Crossbills by Lee, Chung-Woo, in a pine forest at Yangsan, Kyongsangnamdo, on 15 February 1969. They are still captive in Seoul. Measurements: bill, 17.9 ( & ) and 17.9 ( 9 ) mm; wing, 90 and 85 mm; tarsus, 15.9 and 15.5 mm; tail, 59 ( & ) mm. Rufous-bellied Pied Woodpecker. Dendrocopos hyperythrus subrufinus. A mounted male specimen, reported to have been collected at Kwang-nung, Kyonggi-do, during 1968-1969, was purchased in a bird shop in Seoul on 20 August 1969. Previously Yamashina (1941:539) reported two males and one female collected at Yong'an'po, Pyongan-pukdo, between 12 May and 3 June 1929. Austin (1948:165) listed the one known Kyonggi-do specimen taken on 18 October 1918. Apparently this is the second specimen of this rare species for South Korea. Measurements: bill, 24.4 mm; wing, 128 mm. Arctic Rosy Finch. Leucosticte arctoa brunneonucha. One netted at Tae'gaewon, Yangju-gun, Kyonggi-do, on 15 November 1968 was kept in a bird shop in Seoul until 30 August 1969. Previously this species was known from North Korea only on the basis of two pairs collected at Man'po, Hamgyongpukdo, on 15 November 1929, and three males and one female collected at Changjin, Hamgyong-namdo in March 1957; in addition, several sightings were reported in the same area during the winter of 1956 and 1957 (Won 1965:370). Red-billed Thrush. Turdus chrysolaus chrysolaus. A single bird in captivity is now in a live bird shop in Seoul. This species is a rare passage migrant through Korea, known previously from four old records. Japanese Grosbeak. Eophona personata magnirostris. Two birds now in a live bird shop in Seoul were captured at Kal'mae Yangju-gun, Kyonggi-do, on 21 April 1968 and in early May 1968, respectively. Measurements: bill, 26.1 and 25.9 mm; wing, 121 and 121 mm; tarsus, 24.6 and 26.9 mm. Though Austin (1948:252) regarded it as a straggler, this species is an uncommon summer resident in northeastern Korea and a rare transient in South Korea. When I was at Tok'chun, North Korea, in August 1945, I saw several dozen birds kept in captivity by local farmers and fed on hemp seed. Several other specimens have been collected recently in Kyonggi-do and near Tong'nae, Pusan (Won 1969:144). Bluethroat. Erithacus svecica weigoldi. A male taken at Po'chun, Kyonggi-do, on 15 May 1969 is apparently the third specimen collected in Korea, although there are several sightings. The first record is of a pair from Suh'sang, Kyonggi-do, on 18 October 1919 (Mori 1920). Recently Fennell and King (1964:243) reported collecting an immature male and a female near Seoul on 24 October 1962 and 10 November 1962, respectively. Between 24 October and 10 November 1962 they also observed a total of six birds on different occasions. Apparently the species is a rare passage migrant through Korea rather than the straggler Austin (1948:212) regarded it.
Read full abstract
Sep 6, 2023
David Raitt 
Open Access
