Seram Myzomela
Myzomela blasii
A small, drab brown songbird with an entirely blackish downcurved bill and subtle scaling on the throat. Restricted to Seram, Boano, and Ambon islands. A canopy-dweller in forest and forest edge in foothills and mountains, where it gathers in small flocks within flowering trees. Distinguished from Wakolo Myzomela by absence of red on face and by indistinct throat scaling. Differs from Seram Honeyeater in smaller size, all-dark bill, lack of heavy breast streaking and lack of pale cheek mark. Gives high-pitched “sis, sis, sis…” calls and chattering notes.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Myzomela blasii
- Authority
- (Salvadori, 1882)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Genus
- Myzomela
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Fuegian Snipe
Gallinago stricklandii
Large and heavy-bodied snipe of remote islands around Tierra del Fuego; very rarely seen and poorly known. Favors tussock grass and wetland habitats with grassy cover, where it runs in preference to flying, but can be very confiding. Plumage is similar to the more common and frequently seen Magellanic Snipe, which has “normal” snipe proportions and is not fat-bodied like the Fuegian Snipe. Fuegian is often darker overall than Magellanic Snipe, with dense pale spotting on upperparts and heavier dark barring on a buffy (not white) belly and thicker legs.
Andean Slaty Thrush
Turdus nigriceps
A distinctive gray thrush found in montane forests below around 2,000 m from Peru to Argentina. Males are medium-gray above and paler gray below with a darker head, lightly streaked throat, and a yellow bill and eyering. Females are browner overall. Usually seen in the middle to upper levels of forest, often at a fruiting tree. The song is quite different from other thrushes with high-pitched notes interspersed with more melodic ones.
Black-rumped Magpie
Pica bottanensis
The black-and-white magpie of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Best identified by range, but overlaps in the far eastern and southern parts of its range with Oriental Magpie; look for Black-rumped’s reduced gloss in plumage and stouter bill. Gives various chattering notes which average hoarser than those of Oriental Magpie. Found in farmland and other semi-open areas, as well as parks and towns.
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