Scaled Fruiteater
Ampelioides tschudii
Chunky, short-tailed, flat-headed bird patterned in mossy green and black. Scaly above and below with broad green wingbar and black cap. Female has less black in plumage than male, but still distinctively scaly. Unobtrusive, often perching inconspicuously in the middle or upper levels of Andean cloud forest. Most often seen around a fruiting tree; occasionally follows mixed-species flocks. Listen for loud descending whistle.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Ampelioides tschudii
- Authority
- (Gray, GR, 1846)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cotingidae
- Genus
- Ampelioides
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
The Scaled Fruiteater is considered a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). While the bird continues to thrive, populations may be declining due to habitat loss caused by deforestation and human development. Conservation efforts focus on preserving and restoring their forest habitats and raising awareness about the importance of protecting these unique birds and their ecosystems.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Tanimbar Eclectus
Eclectus riedeli
Robust, big-headed, and rather short-tailed parrot endemic to the Tanimbar Islands, where it inhabits lowland and foothill forests. Male bright green with red underwings and orange bill, female bright red with dark underwings and bill. Usually seen flying above forests at first light, squawking loudly. Calls include an ear-shattering, high-pitched squawk, as well as a loud, grating shree. Formerly grouped with other closely related species under “Eclectus Parrot.”
Ring-billed Gull
Larus delawarensis
Fairly small gull, common and widespread throughout most of North America. Breeding adults are white-headed with a bold black ring around the bill; nonbreeding adults have smudgy brown markings on the head. Note pale eye and yellow legs. Immatures are mottled brownish overall; note pink bill with black tip. Found along lakes, rivers, ponds, and beaches. More common inland than most other gull species, and quite fond of parking lots and urban areas. Often in flocks. Most similar to Short-billed Gull, but larger and larger-billed. Immatures of the two species are especially difficult to differentiate, but Ring-billed is usually more coarsely mottled.
Uganda Woodland-Warbler
Phylloscopus budongoensis
A small, active warbler of lowland and mid-elevation forest understory that is green above and gray below with a noticeable pale eyebrow. Similar to migratory warblers, especially Willow Warbler, but note Uganda Woodland-Warbler’s grayer underparts, paler throat, and yellowish vent. Song is a fast, jumbled mix of high-pitched notes.
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