correction: Chough’s eye colors are just fine, still red, no worries

Hello Birders,

Well this was a humbling experience.  Much thanks to Steve Read, Sonja Ross, Jenny Stiles, and Philip Veerman, who patiently and politely pointed out that the other two birds in this photo were in fact Little Ravens, not Choughs.

The one White-winged Chough here (in the foreground) has a visibly red eye.  This photo was taken at the Serendip Sanctuary, quite a productive location for finding many bird species, a bit south of the Western Waste Treatment Plant near Werribee, Victoria.

In fact I did already know the difference between these species’ bills etc.  What I learned here primarily was to pay a bit of attention to what is in front of my eyes (study the photo for more than 5 seconds, Steve!!), and ask the obvious question (“Are these the same species”) before considering less likely things like eye color variation.

Thanks again folks for the continuing education – I do appreciate the help.

— Steve

(Virginia, USA)

(excerpts from my earlier post below — –)

See the second photo for Chough at this checklist:

https://ebird.org/checklist/S61460739

Two birds there, I assume immatures, appear to have dark eyes.  The one facing the camera seems to have white eyes, not red.  Is that unusual?

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