Golden-collared Honeycreeper

Iridophanes pulcherrimus

Small tanager of Andean cloud forest. Colorful male has black upperparts broken by a golden hind collar, pale blue underparts, and a blue stripe on the wing. Female is much plainer and may appear featureless when seen in dim light. Look for a grayish face, hint of a golden collar, blue or green tinge to the wings, and red eyes. Forages in middle to upper levels of the forest and often joins mixed-species flocks. Visits feeders in some areas.

Taxonomy

The golden-collared honeycreeper was formally described in 1853 by the English zoologist Philip Sclater from a specimen collected near Bogotá in Colombia. He coined the binomial name Tangara pulcherrima. It is now the only species placed in the genus Iridophanes that was erected by Robert Ridgway in 1901. The genus name Iridophanes combines the Ancient Greek iris meaning "rainbow" and -phanēs meaning "showing". The specific epithet pulcherrimus is Latin for "very beautiful".<p>A molecular phylogenetic study of the tanager family published in 2014 found that the golden-collared honeycreeper and the green honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza) were sister species.<p>Two subspecies are recognised:

Scientific name
Iridophanes pulcherrimus
Authority
(Sclater, PL, 1853)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Thraupidae
Genus
Iridophanes

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Short-tailed Batis

Short-tailed Batis

Batis mixta

Males have the typical batis pattern of black, white, and gray. Females have a more unusual pattern, with rufous in the wing and either a rufous or gray wash across the breast. Both sexes have a narrow pale eyebrow and orange or reddish eyes. Found in forest at low and middle elevations, often in pairs. Very similar to Dark Batis, but there is no known overlap in range. Males are similar to Chinspot and Pale Batises, but are distinguished by the darker eye and shorter tail. Females are distinctive. The song is variable, but is usually a long series of identical low-pitched tooting notes. 

Plumbeous Forest-Falcon

Plumbeous Forest-Falcon

Micrastur plumbeus

Rare raptor found in wet rainforest in northwestern Ecuador and western Colombia. Adult is gray with barred underparts and orange face and legs. It is extremely similar to the much more common Barred Forest-Falcon; tail is shorter and only shows one band, though this is often hard to see; facial skin and legs are deep orange and usually darker than the yellow to orange hue of Barred. Immature is mostly white below with only faint barring on the breast. Vocalizations are similar and in some cases almost identical to those of Barred Forest-Falcon.

Hen Harrier

Hen Harrier

Circus cyaneus

Medium-sized harrier, flies with wings held in a V-shape, low over open fields and marshes, listening for rodents lurking below. Distinctive foraging behavior and conspicuous white patch on rump in all plumages. Five long primary ‘finger tips’ prominent in flight. Females and immatures are warm brown with streaky breasts. Adult male has plain mid-gray wings with black wingtips and paler belly.

Start Your Bird Watching Journey

Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.