Rio Suno Antwren

Myrmotherula sunensis

Scarce and confusing antwren of lowland rainforest; known from scattered locations throughout the western parts of the Amazon basin. Male is gray with a black bib and white spots on the wings that usually form bars. Female is mostly brown and extremely difficult to separate from several other antwren species. Male is told from male Long-winged Antwren by gray (not whitish) belly, lack of a distinct white tip to the tail, and smaller wing dots. No overlap with the similar Slaty Antwren, which is found at higher elevations. Usually encountered with mixed-species understory flocks, often with other species of antwren. Song is a series of three to five drawn out “swee” notes.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Myrmotherula sunensis
Authority
Chapman, 1925
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Thamnophilidae
Genus
Myrmotherula

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

California Quail

California Quail

Callipepla californica

Small and rotund with obvious teardrop-shaped plumes protruding from forehead. Looks gray and brown at a distance, with white streaks on the sides and a scaly belly. Males have black face and longer, more curled crest than females. Usually seen in flocks running on the ground in open, scrubby habitats. Listen for frequent, three-noted call, audible at long distances. Separated from similar Gambel’s Quail by range; also note California has scaly belly with rusty (not black) patch and duller brown crown and sides. Native to western North America including Baja California; well-established introduced populations in Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, and Hawaii.

Painted Spurfowl

Painted Spurfowl

Galloperdix lunulata

Slightly smaller than a domestic chicken. The brightly colored male is unmistakable with dense white spots while the female is more drab brown overall. This is a bird of the rocky and scrub forest habitats in the Indian peninsula and is mostly found in pairs or in small groups. Birds are generally shy and not very vocal unlike other members of the family. When disturbed, they scuttle through the undergrowth and rarely take to the wing. It give a loud, rapidly repeated “chur, chur, chur” and the male also gives a bubbling, clucking “chugak” when flushed.

Romblon Boobook

Romblon Boobook

Ninox spilonotus

A rare medium-sized owl of lowland and foothill forest on Tablas, Romblon, and Sibuyan islands. Upperparts, chest, and head dark brown and indistinctly barred. Underparts reddish brown. Note the long whiskers around the face and the bright yellow eyes. Probably the only owl in its range except for Mantanani Scops-Owl, but Romblon Boobook is reddish rather than gray and lacks the black line around the face. Song is a phrase of three notes, “wik weu-weu,” with the second and third being descending rasping notes.

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