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
Eastern Striolated-Puffbird
Nystalus striolatus
A chunky species with a large head and a strong bill. Has heavily streaked cheeks, breast, and flanks and a dark brown crown and wings. Note the bushy white chin and pale eyes. Inhabits the canopy and sub-canopy of humid forest and forest edge, where it sits motionless for long periods. Sings a far-carrying melancholic and fluted series of “whip, whi-wheeu, wheeeeeuu” notes.
Tropical Boubou
Laniarius major
Robust black-and-white bushshrike. There is a pale cinnamon wash on the belly and a white stripe across the top of the wing. Found in dense microhabitats within forest, woodland, thickets, and gardens. Not particularly shy, but spends most of its time in dense cover, usually in pairs. Highly vocal bird with a variety of calls. The song is a synchronized duet of hollow hoots from the male and ratcheting calls from the female. Has a very similar color pattern to other boubous, but its underparts are paler than those of Southern Boubou and darker than those of Swamp Boubou. Has a white stripe on the wing, unlike Zanzibar Boubou.
Gould's Petrel
Pterodroma leucoptera
Small gray-and-white gadfly petrel. Note distinctive dark gray cap extending from the crown down the sides of the face, nape and neck to the wing, contrasting with white face. Upperwings dark gray with distinctive dark ‘M’ that extends across the wings. Underparts all white apart from a broad black band at the bend of the wing which extends towards the tip and diagonally back towards, but not reaching, the body. Two subspecies; breeds off of New South Wales and along the central mountain range of New Caledonia respectively. Migrates east and north across Pacific Ocean after breeding. Distinguished from other gadfly petrels by darker cap, and broader dark band on underwing. Can be seen feeding in association with other seabirds, tuna and dolphins.
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