Sumatran Leafbird

Chloropsis media

Uncommon and declining Sumatran endemic, restricted to foothill forest at 600-1000 meters. A typical leafbird, with a predominantly bright green body in both sexes. Male has a dark “half-mask” and throat, as well as a dark purplish-blue malar stripe. Female has a faint sky-blue malar stripe, but otherwise lacks dark coloration on her face. Both sexes have a yellow forecrown and a blue shoulder patch. Juvenile is unmarked green all over, with a faint yellow eyering. Compare with Greater Green Leafbird, Lesser Green Leafbird, and Blue-winged Leafbird, none of which have a yellow forecrown. Loud, musical song incorporates mimicry.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Chloropsis media
Authority
(Bonaparte, 1850)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Chloropseidae
Genus
Chloropsis

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Other Birds

Plain-backed Antpitta

Plain-backed Antpitta

Grallaria haplonota

Medium-sized antpitta. Typical antpitta shape: plump and short-tailed with long legs, like a grapefruit on stilts. Plain brownish overall; darker olive above and tawny below with a white eyering. Uncommon in the foothills and lower subtropics from Venezuela to Peru. Occurs on the ground in wet montane forest from around 700–1,800 m. Exceptionally difficult to see. Listen for its song: a fairly slow series of hollow whistles that gets stronger in the middle and then trails off.

Spotted Eagle-Owl

Spotted Eagle-Owl

Bubo africanus

A large, gray-brown owl with bright yellow eyes, erect ear-tufts, and finely-barred belly and lower breast. The default large owl throughout its range; occurrs in a broad range of lightly-wooded habitats, including suburbia. The typical call is a soft, booming “whooo-whooo” or “whoo-are-you?”. The similar Cape Eagle-Owl is larger, prefers cliffs and gullies, has a heavily-blotched upper breast, and has burnt-orange eyes. Grayish Eagle-Owl is more heavily barred and has dark-brown eyes.

Bearded Bellbird

Bearded Bellbird

Procnias averano

Famously loud and distinctive-looking, this large cotinga is one of the iconic species of northern South America. Male is unmistakable with mostly white body, black wings, brown head, and throat full of dangling black wattles that look like the bird threw up a plateful of worms onto itself. Female is much plainer, greenish with faint yellow streaks on the underparts. Female is extremely similar to female White Bellbird; where range overlaps with White Bellbird, Bearded typically occurs at higher elevations. Most often found by the extremely loud and far-carrying “bonk!” call given by the male.

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