Speckled Nightingale-Thrush
Catharus maculatus
Small, attractively patterned thrush of tropical and subtropical evergreen forest in foothills and subtropics. Usually elusive and heard far more often than seen. Feeds mainly on the ground, but also in fruiting bushes and trees. Sings from low to middle level perches. Plumage distinctive: black head, contrasting orange eyering, bill, and legs, and yellow underparts with dusky spotting. Song distinctive: slow, fluty, whistled phrases, given in a varied series. Occurs on both slopes of the Andes from western Venezuela to northern Argentina. Similar to Yellow-throated Nightingale-Thrush but no range overlap.
Taxonomy
The speckled nightingale-thrush was first described in 1858 by Philip Sclater as Malacocichla maculatus. In 1879 it was subsumed as a subspecies of the spotted nightingale-thrush, as Cantharus dryas maculatus. In 2017, it was argued based on phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA, morphometric and vocal data analyses, and modeling of ecological niches, that it should again be considered a separate species. The former "spotted nightingale-thrush" (Catharus dryas sensu lato) was split into the speckled nightingale-thrush (C. maculatus) and the yellow-throated nightingale-thrush (C. dryas sensu stricto).
- Scientific name
- Catharus maculatus
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL, 1858)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Turdidae
- Genus
- Catharus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Richard's Pipit
Anthus richardi
Large, robust, almost thrushlike pipit given the big bill, long and pale eyebrow, and long tail. If perched off the ground the very large hind claws and long legs are obvious. Flight is strong, heavy, and bounding. Utters "pshee" call when flushed. Found in open grasslands, stubble fields, farmland, dunes, and salt marshes. Separation from other large pipits can be difficult; pay attention to call and wing pattern.
Nazca Booby
Sula granti
Large seabird, very similar to Masked Booby. Long and pointy on all ends: wings, tail, and bill. Adults mostly gleaming white with black flight feathers and face; note pinkish-orange (not yellow) bill to help separate from adult Masked. Young birds darker overall with brown head contrasting with white belly and dirty brown markings on underwings; very similar to young Masked or even adult Brown Booby. Found in the Pacific Ocean from Mexico to Peru where it feeds on fish; breeds on rocky islands, especially the Galapagos.
Unicolored Antwren
Myrmotherula unicolor
Uncommon small, short-tailed antwren of the lower and middle levels of humid forests. Very active and often follows mixed-species flocks. Males are uniform gray with a small dark throat patch, while females are uniformly brown-gray, with less gray in the head than female Salvadori’s Antwrens.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.