Collared Finchbill
Spizixos semitorques
An unmistakable medium-sized songbird: dark olive-green with a black head, white collar, gray “whiskers” on the face, and black-tipped tail. Namesake yellow bill is stout and slightly curved, unlike the dark thin bills of most bulbuls. Often seen perched on telephone wires, treetops, and rooftops. Forages methodically in lowland and foothill forests, gardens, and brushlands (below 1500 m). Regularly gathers in flocks, but not a common component of mixed-species flocks. Song a series of three-syllabled warbles; calls include rising “chirrup” and series of “whit” notes.
Taxonomy
Alternate names for the collared finchbill include the black-headed finch-bill, Chinese finch-bill, Japanese finch-bill, collared finch-billed bulbul and Swinhoe's finch-billed bulbul.<p>Two subspecies are recognized:
- Scientific name
- Spizixos semitorques
- Authority
- Swinhoe, 1861
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pycnonotidae
- Genus
- Spizixos
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Black-capped Speirops
Zosterops lugubris
A bulky, gray-olive white-eye with a dark crown, a pinkish-brown bill, a broad white eye-ring, and a white line from shoulders to flanks. Small to large groups join mixed flocks in forest and plantation throughout São Tomé, but it prefers highland forest above 900 meters. Its loud, rolling musical song is one of the dominant sounds on the island, but it also gives a demure chittering. Black-capped Speirops may join the same flocks as Sao Tome White-eye, which is slightly smaller and duller, without the distinctive dark cap.
Black-chinned Robin
Leucophantes brachyurus
A medium-sized bird of lowland and foothill forest interior. Black upperparts, head and narrow band across the chin, white underparts, prominent white eyebrow, and patch in the wing. Sits still in the understory, often perching on trucks or vertical branches. Very similar to Black-sided Robin and co-occurs in some areas, but Black-chinned lacks the black on the sides of the chest, has a broader white eyebrow and a black chin. Song, a simple series of breathless whistled notes, first descending then rising at the end.
Band-tailed Pigeon
Patagioenas fasciata
Large dove found in mature montane forests from the western U.S. and Canada into Middle and South America. Soft blue-gray above and unique purplish-gray below, with white crescent on the nape. Yellow feet. Bill is yellow with black tip in northern populations, all yellow in southern ones. Forms large flocks in coniferous forests and montane areas where it feeds on seeds and fruits. When it takes off, wings make loud clapping sound.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.