Brown-fronted Woodpecker
Dendrocoptes auriceps
A common mid-sized woodpecker of the Himalayas. Note brownish forehead, dark cheek stripe, distinctive black barring on white back, and white spots on black shoulders and wings. The yellow head is bordered by red feathers in the male and by black feathers in the female. Often moves in mixed flocks with other species through open woodlands, gardens, and forest edges. Calls include a sharp “pic” and various nasal, mewing sounds.
Identification
A medium-sized, pied woodpecker with yellow in crown. White-barred (rather than spotted) black. Underparts, prominent black moustache extending to breast and black-streaked white underparts. Vent deep pink. In male forecrown brown, centre yellow, rear red with black rear neck. In female whole crown yellow.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Dendrocoptes auriceps
- Authority
- (Vigors, 1831)
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Picidae
- Genus
- Dendrocoptes
Range and habitat
Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
- Migration
- Vertical migration
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Humaita Antbird
Myrmelastes humaythae
Understory antbird of wet, forested habitats. Males are evenly gray; females are warm brown. Both sexes have tiny white wing spots and light gray eyes. Part of the species complex previously known as “Spot-winged Antbird;” it is similar to the previously conspecific Brownish-headed Antbird, which is separated by range and habitat. Humaita Antbird is found away from the foothills, in the Amazonian lowlands, while Brownish-headed is found in the understory of mature rainforest along the base of the Andes. In parts of its range, it is found nearly exclusively in palm swamps. Its song is a slowly-rising series of rapid high notes.
Gray Tit-Flycatcher
Fraseria plumbea
A gray flycatcher that has a distinctive blackish tail with white outer tail feathers. It forages more like a warbler than a typical flycatcher, flitting through foliage searching carefully for insects; seldom sallies to catch flies. Often it leans forward with its tail slightly raised and spread, a behavior that may flush insects nearby. It forages unobtrusively in broadleaf woodland, thickets, and forest edge, where it is most often detected by its trembling, mournful “wheeely-wheerr” song. The similar Gray-throated Tit-Flycatcher prefers lowland rainforest and has an all-dark tail and a plain gray face, while Ashy Flycatcher has an all-dark tail and hunts by perching and sallying like a typical flycatcher.
Black-backed Water-Tyrant
Fluvicola albiventer
Medium-sized flycatcher, usually seen walking on the ground around marshy areas, lakes, and rivers. Mostly white below and on the face contrasting with a black crown and back, a white rump and two white wingbars. Sweeps its tail conspicuously from side to side. The call is a sharp and short “tic.”
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