White-banded Tyrannulet
Mecocerculus stictopterus
A small, pale, and active tyrannulet. No bright colors; look for a very thick white eyebrow, gleaming white wingbars, a medium-gray crown, and a brown back. Tends to perch horizontally, often with its relatively long tail held level or slightly up. Flits actively, usually in the canopy or subcanopy, often part of a mixed-species flock. Occurs in subtropical and temperate forest and edges in the Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia, from around 2,300 to 3,300 m. Similar to White-tailed Tyrannulet but larger and found at higher elevations; also note White-tailed’s narrower white eyebrow, off-white wingbars, and generally duller plumage than White-banded. Listen for its scratchy rising calls.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Mecocerculus stictopterus
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL, 1859)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Mecocerculus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
White-browed Hermit
Phaethornis stuarti
Small, orangey hermit of Andean foothills. Orange below, with a black mask, white eyebrow, and green back. Extremely similar to the Reddish Hermit; where they overlap they are typically not separable in the field. White-browed Hermit occupies higher elevations around the base of the Andes than Reddish Hermit, which is found in the lowlands. Sings at leks around the understory of mature rainforest, a repeated accelerating series of high "seet" notes.
Gray-cheeked Bulbul
Alophoixus tephrogenys
A large bulbul with a short brown crest, a gray face, a white throat, a greenish-brown back, and a dirty yellow breast and belly. Found at low and middle elevations in primary and secondary forests and forest edges, as well as in overgrown plantations and gardens. Loud, variable song is a cheery and repetitive stream of various notes, including musical “chew” notes and rougher scolds and rattles. Crest is short and weak, separating it from White-throated and Ochraceous Bulbuls. Brown cap and duller underparts separate this species from Yellow-bellied Bulbul.
Bank Swallow
Riparia riparia
Small and compact swallow, with quick flicking wingbeats. Brown above and white below, with a contrasting dark chest band. Note the relatively long, notched tail and narrow, pointed wings. Breeds in colonies; builds nest by tunneling into sandbanks. Can be seen over any open habitat including fields, marshes, and ponds, often in mixed flocks with other species of swallows. Compare with other small brownish swallows where overlaps occur in its extensive global range.
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