Golden-winged Sparrow
Arremon schlegeli
Beautiful black-helmeted sparrow of forest understory. Contrasting black head, bright yellow bill, white throat and underparts, light gray mantle, yellow-green back and rump, gray wings and tail, and golden shoulders. Female has duller bill and buff-tinged underparts. Found alone or in pairs foraging in the understory of dry to humid forest and scrubby second growth. Vocalization is a high pitched “zeut, zeut, zeee.” The only totally black headed sparrow in its range. Found only in Colombia and Venezuela.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Arremon schlegeli
- Authority
- Bonaparte, 1850
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Genus
- Arremon
Range and habitat
The golden-winged sparrow lives in a terrestrial ecosystem. Its habitats include subtropical or tropical dry forests and shrubland, and subtropical or tropical heavily degraded former forest, either artificial or terrestrial.<p>The Golden Winged Sparrow also lives in woodland or dry areas from the lowlands up to 1400 meters. Within these habitats, they reside in forests, second-growth, thickets, ravines, and hillsides.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Golden-winged sparrows feed on or above the ground on seeds, fruit, and insects. They forage both alone and in pairs, in forests with second growth and dry to humid weather. The species breeds during the wet season due to an increase in singing activity. The song of golden-winged sparrows is commonly heard early in the morning during April and May. Their song is a high-pitched series of repeated notes, which have been described as the repetition of "Zeut-zeut-zeut-zee" or "Soot-soot-soot-see".
Conservation
There have been conservation sites found throughout the range where the golden-winged sparrow resides. The species has been found living in a protected area. However, there are still necessary conservation actions that need to be taken in the future.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Stephanie's Astrapia
Astrapia stephaniae
A long-tailed bird of montane forest canopy. Male has much longer tail with an iridescent green head and bib with a black chest band bordered with a thin gold stripe. Female is blackish with barring on the belly. Feeds on fruit and searches for insects on mossy branches and epiphytes. Similar to Ribbon-tailed Astrapia (with which it can hybridize), but female Stephanie’s lacks the iridescence on the head and the male’s tail is black rather than white. Voice, a rising, nasal “week!”.
Visayan Tailorbird
Orthotomus castaneiceps
A small, long-billed, long-tailed bird of dense tangled undergrowth in lowland forest. Has olive-green wings and tail, a pale belly, a gray back of the neck, a gray back, and a gray chest with streaks. Note rufous cap and orange legs. Somewhat similar to leaf-warblers, but has a longer bill and a rufous cap. Song consists of a medium-pitched, whistled melody, “plik-wod plick-wee,” sometimes given in duet. Also gives downslurred nasal scolds.
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Brown parrot with yellow-and-red belly and deep blue face, typically found in dry inland habitats in eastern Australia. Multiple subspecies vary in the color of their wing patch, belly, and undertail. Usually seen in small groups, this species is often hard to approach and is easily flushed. In flight, the blue wings and red shoulders contrast with pale brown back. Distinguished from the similar but smaller Naretha Bluebonnet by presence of red on belly.
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