Principe Sunbird
Anabathmis hartlaubii
A medium-sized dark sunbird with a graduated, white-tipped tail. Male has a blue-purple iridescent throat and upper tail; female and juvenile are dull yellow underneath. A common endemic resident in almost all habitats across Príncipe, where pairs and small groups frequently join mixed-species flocks. Its distinctive rapid song and upslurred “tsoooeeet” call are characteristic sounds of the island. Dull Olive Sunbird has a longer and more recurved bill than Principe Sunbird.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Anabathmis hartlaubii
- Authority
- (Hartlaub, 1857)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Genus
- Anabathmis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Merida Wren
Cistothorus meridae
Small, barred wren of the high paramo. Eyebrow whitish; upperparts, flanks, wings, and tail barred. Back with contrasting white stripes, and underparts pale and plain. Sexes similar. Often hard to see but locally common, found alone or in pairs in high paramo, especially in damper areas. Often singing on top of vegetation. Minimal overlap with Sedge Wren, which is less barred and has buffier and fainter eyebrow. Endemic to the Andes of Venezuela.
Jameson's Snipe
Gallinago jamesoni
Chunky snipe of very high elevations in the Andes. Plumage has a complicated pattern of brown, buff, and black; note extensive barring on underparts and thick, drooping bill. Might be confused with Noble Snipe, but does not have a white belly. Compared to Imperial Snipe, it is smaller and lacks the warm, cinnamon coloration. Jameson’s Snipe inhabits paramo grasslands and stunted forest near tree line. Shy and rarely encountered unless flushed, when it gives a burst of sharp, abrupt “kek” notes.
Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager
Driophlox atrimaxillaris
Large tanager usually found close to the ground. Male is sooty gray with black face and bright red throat that bleeds onto chest. Red crown not usually visible. Females have paler buffy-orange throat. Usually seen in small flocks as they forage through the forest understory. Listen for harsh scolding notes that might cue you into a flock.
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