Usambara Greenbul
Phyllastrephus albigula
A very small, warbler-like greenbul with an olive-green back, pale underparts, an olive-washed gray cap and nape, and a yellow or orange eye. Found in montane forest at middle elevations. Often joins mixed-species flocks. Very similar in appearance to Tiny Greenbul, but found at higher elevations and darker overall, with an olive-green wash to the crown and nape. Similar in overall coloration to Yellow-streaked Greenbul, but much smaller, with a pale eye. Voice apparently very similar to Tiny Greenbul’s. The call is a rough chattering trill that is often mixed with the song: an accelerating, syncopated series of low nasal notes.
Taxonomy
The lowland tiny greenbul was originally described in the genus Macrosphenus. Until 2009, the montane tiny greenbul was considered as conspecific with the lowland tiny greenbul as the tiny bulbul. Some authorities continue to consider the two species as conspecific. Alternate names for the montane tiny greenbul include the green-crowned greenbul, Usambara bulbul and Usambara greenbul.
- Scientific name
- Phyllastrephus albigula
- Authority
- (Grote, 1919)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pycnonotidae
- Genus
- Phyllastrephus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Tiny, compact, black-and-white falcon. Black above, with a white chest and pale orangish belly. Male has a white crown and face; in female, the white is replaced by rusty orange. Restricted to northern Borneo, where mostly unmistakable; in narrow range of overlap with Black-thighed Falconet, look for White-fronted’s white or orange crown and paler underparts. Like other falconets, frequently encountered in pairs or groups. Perches up on bare branches in open forest, forest edge, and clearings.
Black-backed Water-Tyrant
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A medium-sized vulture with a silvery bill, a dark body, a grayish shine on the wings, a white back, and a distinctive white collar on the neck. In flight, the adult appears dark with a strikingly large white slab running across the underside of the wing. The juvenile is dark brown with fine pale streaks; it has a dark collar, pale feathers on the head, a dark bill, and no white on the back or underwing. Found in open areas and around habitation.
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