Gray-tailed Piha
Snowornis subalaris
Scarce denizen of cloud forest along the east slope of the Andes in Ecuador, Peru, and southern Colombia. Olive with a blotchy white eyering and gray belly and tail. Black crown stripe is usually concealed. It feeds on both fruit and insects inside tall forest, and almost never comes out to the edge. Occasionally gives a loud, ringing “suWEE,” which makes it easier to track down.
Identification
The grey-tailed piha grows to a length of about 23 cm (9 in). Both sexes have a dull grey head with a narrow, pale yellow ring of bare skin surrounding the eye. The upper parts are olive-green with a greyish rump and a plain grey tail. The underparts are pale olive green with lighter streaks and a pale grey belly. The underwing coverts are pale yellow. This bird could be confused with the olivaceous piha (Snowornis cryptolophus), but it has a yellower belly and an olive rather than a grey tail.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Snowornis subalaris
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL, 1861)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Genus
- Snowornis
Range and habitat
The grey-tailed piha occurs on the eastern slope of the Andes range, in southern Colombia, Ecuador and Peru at altitudes between about 600 and 1,400 m (2,000 and 4,600 ft). It is generally a rare or uncommon bird and is found in the middle and lower parts of the canopy. It is an elusive bird, remaining still for long periods and blending in with the branches. It is usually solitary, but may occasionally join a mixed species foraging group. It feeds mainly on insects, but may also consume fruits, sometimes flying out from its perch, where it sits unmoving for long periods, to catch an insect in the air or hover to glean insects from foliage.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Black-faced Canary
Crithagra capistrata
Small seedeater with a conical bill and forked tail. The upperparts are olive-green and the underparts pale yellow. Both sexes have a strong yellow eyebrow. Males have a clean black face patch, and females strong streaking on the underparts. Found in miombo and other moist savanna, forest edge, and cultivation. The song consists of higher introductory notes followed by lower rattling trills. Similar to Western Citril, but has a shorter and less pointed bill. Males also have a slightly larger black face patch that is more cleanly defined, and females have more streaking below.
Sayaca Tanager
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Large tanager with a strong bill. It has a rather dirty blue-gray body with darker blue wings. Similar to Blue-gray Tanager, but duller overall and lacks the Blue-gray’s white shoulder; also similar to Azure-shouldered Tanager, but without the bluish shoulder and dark patch in front of the eye. Occurs in a variety of habitats from forest edges to agricultural areas, urban parks, and gardens.
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