Gray-bellied Flowerpiercer

Diglossa carbonaria

Fairly common flowerpiercer of the highlands of the Bolivian Andes, above the upper limit of humid forest. Occurs in most areas with habitat containing vegetation over 1m high, including Polylepis forest, gardens, towns, wooded ravines, and tall scrublands. Mostly absent from the Altiplano desert. Generally forages in pairs or small groups, occasionally joining mixed-species flocks. Plumage quite distinctive.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Diglossa carbonaria
Authority
(d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1838)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Thraupidae
Genus
Diglossa

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Southern Hyliota

Southern Hyliota

Hyliota australis

Mid-sized, generic-looking warbler-like bird. Males have a matte black back, a white wing patch, and very pale yellowish underparts. Females are similar, but browner on the back. Found mainly in broadleaf savanna, and locally in humid forest. Usually in pairs or small groups, which will join mixed-species feeding flocks. The quiet vocalizations include chatty calls and trills. Very similar to Yellow-bellied Hyliota. In most of the range, Southern males distinguished by the smaller white patch on the wing, and females by their browner upperparts. In Uganda and Kenya, males are extremely similar, but Southern can still be recognized by its non-glossy black back.

Velvety Manakin

Velvety Manakin

Lepidothrix velutina

Small, short-tailed bird found in lowland and foothill rainforest. Male is easy to identify with his glossy black body and azure crown. Female is mostly lime green with a yellowish belly; her plumage is much greener than other similar species such as Choco Manakin and female Red-capped Manakin. Most common call is a short, ringing trill. Male’s display song is a buzzy “purwit!”. Usually seen at lower to middle levels in the forest, plucking berries from fruiting trees. Formerly called Blue-crowned Manakin before that species was split. Velvety Manakin’s range includes Costa Rica, Panama, western Colombia, and northwestern Ecuador.

Moustached Antpitta

Moustached Antpitta

Grallaria alleni

Medium-sized antpitta. Typical antpitta shape: plump and short-tailed with long legs, like a grapefruit on stilts. Mostly brown with a brighter cinnamon belly and grayish crown. Note blotchy white mustache stripe. Very similar in appearance to Scaled Antpitta but typically occurs at slightly higher elevations. Moustached has a less pronounced scaly pattern on the upperparts, browner cheeks, and a slower, higher-pitched song without a stutter in the middle than Scaled Antpitta. Fairly rare and local within limited range in the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador. Occurs in mossy cloud forest in the lower subtropics from around 1,850–2,000 m. Very rarely seen; typically stays hidden in the dense understory, occasionally hopping onto forest trails at dawn or dusk.

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Gray-bellied Flowerpiercer | BirdLens