Streaked Spiderhunter
Arachnothera magna
A large and noisy inhabitant of tropical and subtropical hill forests. Distinctive in its range; a large spiderhunter with a long, curved black bill and black streaking all over its yellow-green upperparts and lighter yellow underparts. Gleans invertebrates from foliage, but also hovers around and probes into flowers for nectar. Often moves with mixed flocks. Calls frequently, giving a loud, decisive-sounding “chitick, chitick!”.
Identification
It is similar in size to a sparrow. It is olive yellow in color, with multiple darker streaks. It has a long, curved black beak and yellow legs. Below, it is pale yellow streaked with black. Its beak is specially adapted for a nectar diet.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Arachnothera magna
- Authority
- (Hodgson, 1836)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Genus
- Arachnothera
Range and habitat
It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. In India, it is found in the Eastern Indian states. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and montane forest.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
This species can be found alone or in pairs. The nesting season is from March to July. The nest is usually made of leaves that are tied together with cobwebs, and they are found attached to the reverse side of a leaf.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Pigeon Guillemot
Cepphus columba
Small jet-black seabird of coastal areas of the Pacific. Breeding plumage is black with bold white wing patch and bright red legs. Plumage changes dramatically in winter to whitish overall with dusky markings on body and black wingtips. Often found in shallower coastal waters than other alcids and regularly seen from shore. Dives to hunt for fish and invertebrates. Nests in crevice or burrow in a cliff or around large rocks.
Red-tailed Tropicbird
Phaethon rubricauda
A medium-sized, mostly white seabird with a red beak. The long red tail streamers can be difficult to see at a distance. Rarely seen inland. At sea usually flies high above the water. Pairs and groups perform backward-wheeling courtship displays while giving loud squawks. Larger and heavier-bodied than White-tailed Tropicbird.
Lemon-rumped Warbler
Phylloscopus chloronotus
Small leaf warbler with many extremely similar relatives. Like other “Pallas’s-type” leaf warblers, has olive-yellow upperparts, pale underparts, prominent brow and crown stripes, double wingbars, and a pale rump. Unlike Ashy-throated and Buff-barred Warblers, lacks any white on outer tail edges. Pallas’s averages yellower-headed and brighter overall. Gansu and Chinese Leaf Warblers can be incredibly similar, but Lemon-rumped averages whiter-browed and yellower-bellied than the former, more contrastingly-marked on the head than the latter, and darker-billed than both. As with many other physically similar leaf warblers, best distinguished by voice and habitat. Breeds in coniferous and mixed forests at mid- to high-elevation forests, though may descend into foothills in the winter. Two song types are both highly distinctive; one is a buzzy, descending rattling trill and the other is a series of high-pitched clicking twitters. Call is a loud, strident pair of notes: “pse-tew!”
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