Woodhouse's Antpecker

Parmoptila woodhousei

A small, slender-billed, warbler-like waxbill that is speckled and barred underneath with a reddish face and throat and a rather uniformly brown crown, back, wings, and tail. Forages in the understory and on the ground primarily for ants, alone or in small groups, sometimes in association with ant swarms and mixed-species flocks. Calls include soft whistled “ptiee” notes and repeated high-pitched descending whistles.

Identification

The male has a bright red fore crown, brown under parts, the adult female is brown above with a rufous-brown wash to the throat and scaled brown and white from the breast to the vent.

Taxonomy

Genus: Parmoptila; Family: Estrildidae; Order: Passeriformes.

Scientific name
Parmoptila woodhousei
Authority
Cassin, 1859
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Estrildidae
Genus
Parmoptila

Range and habitat

Woodhouse's antpecker inhabits subtropical or tropical lowland moist forest at Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. It is found in forest from 700-1800 m, where it actively forages in tangled vines and creepers in the undergrowth. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 190,000 km2.<p>In Uganda it can be seen in Budongo Central Forest Reserve within the Nature Reserve known as N15 (Nyakafunjo Block 15).

Migration
Resident species

Behavior

Migration pattern: Resident species.

Conservation

Population trend: stable.

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Other Birds

Red-headed Bluebill

Red-headed Bluebill

Spermophaga ruficapilla

Pretty member of the waxbill family that has a massive, conical bill. Males have a black belly and females a spotted one, and both sexes show an all-red head. Found in rainforest, gallery forest, thickets, and secondary habitats. Usually in pairs or small groups, in areas with thick undergrowth, and usually some grass. Sometimes on roads and paths. Vocalizations include a quiet “schpit” call and a rarely-heard whistled song. Similar to Grant’s Bluebill, but separated by all-red head. Male similar to male Black-bellied Seedcracker, but separated by its black tail and its red-and-blue rather than all-blue bill.

Moustached Treeswift

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Pohnpei Flycatcher

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