White-fronted Nunbird
Monasa morphoeus
Fairly large gray bird with flat head and upright posture. Distinctive white forehead and chin and bright red bill. Sexes alike. Found in forested areas, often perched on an open branch at middle or upper levels; also can be seen at forest edges or clearings. Usually in pairs or small family groups. Often a flock leader; listen for its loud squawking and rollicking calls to find other flocking species.
Identification
The white-fronted nunbird is 21 to 29 cm (8.3 to 11 in) long. Birds in Central America weigh 90 to 101 g (3.2 to 3.6 oz), those in the eastern Amazon 77 to 87 g (2.7 to 3.1 oz), those in Venezuela 63 to 80 g (2.2 to 2.8 oz), and those in Bolivia 80 to 84 g (2.8 to 3.0 oz). The adult of the nominate subspecies is mostly dark grayish black, somewhat grayer on the underparts. Its forehead ("front") and chin are white. Its bill is orange-red, the eye brown, and the legs black. Immatures have a buffy-rufous face and their body feathers have a brownish tinge and edges.<p>The other subspecies of white-fronted nunbird differ in size, the darkness of their plumage, and the extent of white on the face. Northern birds are larger than southern ones. M. m. sclateri has a black chin, little contrast between the upper- and underparts, and paler wing coverts than the nominate. M. m. pallescens is similar to sclateri but paler overall with more contrast, and the white patch on the forehead is the largest of all subspecies. M. m. fidelis is like pallescens but slightly darker and with a whitish chin. M. m. grandior is slightly darker than fidelis and with little contrast. M. m. rikeri is slightly paler than the nominate and M. m. peruana even paler.
Taxonomy
The white-fronted nunbird is assigned these seven subspecies:<p>The first four subspecies were at one time treated as individual species. Other authors included rikeri in the nominate morpheous. Birds in northeastern Bolivia were suggested as a separate subspecies but remain included in peruana. The white-fronted nunbird, black-fronted nunbird (M. nigrifrons), and black nunbird (M. morphoeus) are generally treated as a superspecies.
- Scientific name
- Monasa morphoeus
- Authority
- (Hahn & Küster, 1823)
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Bucconidae
- Genus
- Monasa
Range and habitat
The subspecies of white-fronted nunbird are distributed thus:<p>The white-fronted nunbird inhabits a variety of wooded landscapes including lowland terra firme, rainforest, and gallery and transitional forest. It also occurs in more open environments like partly deforested areas, shaded cacao plantations, and abandoned clearings with scattered trees. In most of its range it is found below 300 m (980 ft) but reaches 750 m (2,500 ft) in Panama, 1,050 m (3,400 ft) in Peru, and locally 1,350 m (4,400 ft) in Ecuador.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Bates's Sunbird
Cinnyris batesi
A very small nondescript sunbird with a short orange-based bill that curves uniformly along its length; easily mistaken for females of other sunbirds. The only features on the olive upperparts are indistinct paler eyebrows and lines running under the eyes, and yellow edging to the wings. Although often hidden, the male has yellow or whitish (not red) tufts at the shoulders. Singles are local and inconspicuous at the edges of lowland and riverine forest, sometimes entering secondary growth; it joins mixed-flocks and is frequently attracted to epiphytes in mossy clumps. Calls a high-pitched “tseeep” and trills. Little Green and Fraser’s sunbirds are similar to Bates’s but brighter, with straighter bills and more distinct yellowish eye-rings; Ursula’s Sunbird has a long decurved bill and grayish face and underparts.
Pale-olive Greenbul
Phyllastrephus fulviventris
A drab, long-tailed brownish greenbul. The tail is rufous and the throat paler buff, and there are pale crescents above and below the eyes. Found in gallery forest, secondary forest, plantations, and lush woodland. Very similar to Cabanis’s Greenbul, but has a darker bill and legs, and is browner, darker, and duller overall. Similar to Terrestrial Brownbul, but the throat patch is much duller, less bright white, and the pale eye crescents are more distinct. The vocalizations are a variety of chatty, nasal low-pitched notes.
Lesser Masked-Weaver
Ploceus intermedius
A small, slender weaver with a whitish eye and distinctive slate-colored (not pinkish) legs. The male has a black mask that extends to the peak of the crown in breeding plumage. The female is nondescript but has a distinctive pale eye and white belly. Pairs prefer riverine thicket and wooded savanna, where they breed colonially. In the non-breeding season, they form large flocks that may wander. Most other pale-eyed weavers have pinkish legs and a yellow crown in breeding plumage.
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