Obscure Honeyeater
Caligavis obscura
An uncommon, medium-sized honeyeater of foothill forest midstory. Olive-colored with a bright-yellow face, a black line below the eye, starting from the bill and ending in a white ear spot. Most similar to Black-throated Honeyeater but little if any overlap in elevation. Obscure Honeyeater is smaller and has gray rather than orange legs. Song, a series of usually 5 “chip” notes, first rising, then falling.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Caligavis obscura
- Authority
- (De Vis, 1897)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Genus
- Caligavis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
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Turdus olivaceofuscus
A large brown thrush with a yellow-tipped dark bill and scaly underparts. The juvenile is flecked buffy above. The only thrush on São Tomé, where it is a common resident in any environment with trees. Song is a musical, rich, varied whistled medley, “wee-eet wheeeoo, cheee chirrit,” that rolls up and down and is mostly given at dawn and dusk.
White-browed Bulbul
Pycnonotus luteolus
A plain brownish bulbul that is endemic to the bottom half of peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Ubiquitous inhabitant of scrubby habitat across its range and sometimes overlaps with Yellow-throated Bulbul in rocky scrub. Although both species have a yellow vent and can sound similar, White-browed can be distinguished by its brown face and white eyebrow. Usually occurs in pairs and tends to skulk in undergrowth. Rather noisy but uncommonly seen, listen for regular, short bursts of distinctive raucous babbling.
Nicobar Pigeon
Caloenas nicobarica
Spectacular ground-dwelling pigeon with long, extravagant plumes trailing down from the neck. Dark green intermixed with gray, blue, and bronzy orange, depending on the light. Tail is snow-white, but only readily visible when the bird is flushed. Generally shy, quiet, and difficult to see. Inhabits small, densely forested offshore islands from the Indian Andamans to the Solomons and New Guinea.
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