Pardusco
Nephelornis oneilli
An odd, warbler-like bird found near treeline in the Andes of northern and central Peru. Pardusco means “brownish” in Spanish, and that fits the bird very well. It is best identified by its lack of field marks, its small and pointy bill, and its specialized habitat. Behavior is also a good clue, as it is typically found in little flocks that chatter and squeak as they move through elfin forest, often accompanied by other species.
Taxonomy
The pardusco was formally described in 1976 by the American ornithologists George Lowery and Dan Tallman from specimens collected in the Department of Huánuco of central Peru. They introduced the monospecific genus Nephelornis creating the binomial name Nephelornis oneilli. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek nephelē meaning "cloud" with ornis meaning "bird". The specific epithet was chosen to honour the ornithologist John Patton O'Neill. A 2014 molecular phylogenetic study of the tanager family Thraupidae found that the pardusco is a member of the subfamily Poospizinae and has a sister relationship to the black-backed bush tanager in the monospecific genus Urothraupis. The pardusco is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.
- Scientific name
- Nephelornis oneilli
- Authority
- Lowery & Tallman, 1976
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Nephelornis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Long-billed Woodcreeper
Nasica longirostris
This large and unmistakable woodcreeper is widespread across much of Amazonia. It has a long pinkish bill, white throat, and distinct white streaking on the neck and breast. Typically found singly or in pairs in the mid-levels and canopy of lowland forest and edges, often near water. Frequently detected by voice; listen for its series of long, plain whistles, often at dawn or dusk.
White-bellied Cuckooshrike
Coracina papuensis
Medium-sized slender bird, pale gray above, white below, with a small dark bridge between the bill and eye (lores) and faint partial white eyering. Immature lacks distinct mask of Black-faced Cuckooshrike. Dark morph shows large but variable black bib and breast, mottled or barred at the edges. Inhabits eucalypt forest and other woodlands in Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. Call a high-pitched, two-note squeak.
Black-spectacled Brushfinch
Atlapetes melanopsis
Rare brushfinch with a highly restricted range in the eastern Andes of central Peru. It has an ornate head pattern with a partial black mask bordered by chestnut, black-and-white mustache stripes, and a white spot between the eye and the bill. The only similar species is Apurimac Brushfinch, which is found farther southeast and has a smaller mask and thinner black mustache. Black-spectacled inhabits scrubby areas at the forest edge. Song is a series of rich, wheezing notes.
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