White-tailed Tyrannulet
Mecocerculus poecilocercus
A small, pale, and active tyrannulet with a small bill. No bright colors; look for bold white eyebrow, pale yellowish rump, and two off-white wingbars. Tends to perch horizontally, often with its tail cocked up slightly. Flits actively, usually in the canopy and often part of a mixed-species flock. Occurs in cloud forest and edges from Colombia to Peru, from around 1,500 to 2,500 m. Similar to White-banded Tyrannulet, but smaller and found at lower elevations; also note White-banded’s thicker white eyebrow, gleaming white wingbars, and generally more contrasting plumage than White-tailed. Often detected by series of three or four squeaky “psee” notes coming from a canopy flock.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Mecocerculus poecilocercus
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1873)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Mecocerculus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Olivaceous Schiffornis
Schiffornis olivacea
Shy, furtive bird that is heard far more often than seen. Shaped like a large manakin; mostly plain greenish-brown with unique large-eyed look. Found in mature rainforest and older second-growth. Often alone but may follow mixed-species flocks; takes low perches and looks around slowly; consumes fruit and insects. In premontane forests of the tepui region, compare with Olive Manakin; schiffornis is substantially larger and more brownish. Call is a slurred, sharply inflected whistle given at long intervals and easily imitated.
White-browed Woodswallow
Artamus superciliosus
Chunky bird with broad, triangular wings and short, decurved bill. Male dark gray above, dark orange-brown below, with dark gray face and throat and white eyebrow. Female similar in pattern but less richly colored. Whitish underwings contrast powerfully with dark underparts in flight. Often forages very high up in enormous flocks, sometimes mixed in with Masked Woodswallows.
Crimson Chat
Epthianura tricolor
Brightly colored, terrestrial songbird of arid inland Australia. Breeding male has crimson crown and belly, gray back, black mask, white throat, pale eye, and blackish wings with narrow pale wingbars. Nonbreeding male more muted, with only hints of crimson. Female similar to nonbreeding male but paler around the face. Usually seen in small groups hopping along the ground in open areas.
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