Santa Marta Screech-Owl
Megascops gilesi
Small owl restricted to cloud forest in Colombia’s Santa Marta Mountains. Plumage is almost identical to that of Tropical Screech-Owl, with which it was confused until differences in voice were noted. Color is variable and ranges from dull brown to rusty. Typical song is a rapid series of soft notes that rises and then falls in pitch; it is much longer and steadier than the song of Tropical Screech-Owl, which is found in lower and drier parts of the mountains. Regularly encountered in and around El Dorado Nature Reserve.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Megascops gilesi
- Authority
- Krabbe, 2017
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
- Genus
- Megascops
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Jamaican Spindalis
Spindalis nigricephala
A somewhat small woodland and scrubland bird that moves rather deliberately as it feeds on fruits and flowers and the occasional insect. Brilliant male is a swirl of yellows, oranges, and reds with black-and-white striped head; unlike any other Jamaican bird. Female has a similar pattern but drab colors. Call is a thin high-pitched “tsee” given singularly or in a rapid series.
Australian Pelican
Pelecanus conspicillatus
Very large and distinctive black-and-white pelican. Enormous bill with characteristic throat pouch. Usually found near water, both marine and inland waterways. Becomes tame around boat-ramps and fishing spots. Perches on lamp-posts.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Melanerpes aurifrons
Medium-sized woodpecker, plain buffy-brown overall with black-and-white barring on the back. Head pattern varies across range but usually shows some combination of yellow and red. Most males on the Caribbean slope of Mexico and into Central America have a solidly red crown and nape. In flight, look for white rump. Common and conspicuous in open woodlands, deciduous forest, and arid scrub from Texas and Oklahoma south to Nicaragua. Often the default woodpecker close to human settlements. Visits backyards and feeders, especially for oranges and jelly. Hybridizes with Red-bellied Woodpecker at the northern limits of its range and with Hoffmann’s Woodpecker at the southern limits. Also compare with the smaller Yucatan Woodpecker.
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