Mountain Owlet-nightjar
Aegotheles albertisi
A small owlet-nightjar of montane forests. Dark head, pale collar, barred back and tail. A rufous morph also occurs. Day-roosting birds are sometimes found in dense thickets. May overlap with Wallace’s Owlet-nightjar, which lacks the pale collar, and Vogelkop Owlet-nightjar, which has a barred chest. Call, a sharp falling “wek!” or “wek-wek!” sounding like a squeaky toy or given as a raspy note.
Identification
The Mountain owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles albertisi) is a species of bird in the family Aegothelidae. It is found in the highlands of New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Taxonomy
Genus: Aegotheles; Family: Aegothelidae; Order: Aegotheliformes.
- Scientific name
- Aegotheles albertisi
- Authority
- Sclater, PL, 1874
- Order
- Aegotheliformes
- Family
- Aegothelidae
- Genus
- Aegotheles
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Rufous-browed Wren
Troglodytes rufociliatus
Very small, rather short-tailed wren of highland forests, woodland edges, thickets, and brush piles. Usually rather skulking, low in dense tangles, but sometimes sings from an exposed perch. Face and breast are bright rusty orange with pale eyering. Flanks, wings, and tail are obviously barred. House Wren is larger, longer tailed, and much duller and paler on face and underparts. Voice distinctive.
Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant
Hemitriccus orbitatus
Tiny flycatcher found in the lower levels of interior of humid lowland forests. Note the conspicuous white eyerings and pale spot under the eye. It has an olive-brown back, pale wing edges, a streaky olive breast, and yellow belly. The song is a squeaky trill.
Usambara Weaver
Ploceus nicolli
An unusual weaver with dark upperparts, an orange bib, and a yellow belly. The male shows a yellowish forehead patch that the female lacks. Found very locally in the upper levels of montane forest, usually in pairs that often join mixed-species flocks. Creeps along branches like a nuthatch. Somewhat similar to Forest Weaver, but easily separated by the orange breast. Vocalizations include a “seet-swit” call that is unusual for a weaver and a “radio static” song with a distinctively rollicking rhythm.
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