Wilkins's Finch
Nesospiza wilkinsi
A chunky olive-yellow finch with a hefty grosbeak-like bill. Male typically has a paler base to the bill and female is smaller, duller, and streakier. Uncommon, preferring wooded portions of Nightingale Island, to which it is endemic. Sings a repeated “whut-preeu,” deeper and slower than the song of Nightingale Island Finch; female answers with a whistle. The much smaller and commoner Nightingale Island Finch has a thinner, daintier bill than Wilkins’s and occurs throughout the island.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Nesospiza wilkinsi
- Authority
- Lowe, 1923
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Nesospiza
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Abyssinian Woodpecker
Dendropicos abyssinicus
A small, short-tailed woodpecker of the Abyssinian highlands. Note the pure golden-green back and the white facial streaks that frame a dark cheek. Males have a red cap and females a dark one. Found in montane woodland and open forest. Within its small range, most similar to Cardinal Woodpecker, but separated by the slightly larger size, the dark cheek, and the brighter yellow back. Quiet and inconspicuous, but sometimes gives a high, rattling call.
Wood Thrush
Hylocichla mustelina
Boldly patterned thrush is bright rusty-brown above with black spots on the white belly. Smaller than a robin, but larger than Hermit Thrush. Sticks to wooded areas, often hopping on the ground. More often heard than seen: listen for its incredible, flute-like song. Population is declining; winters in Central America.
Black Caracara
Daptrius ater
Crow-sized raptor typically found around forest edges and rivers. Entirely black except for gleaming white rump and bright facial skin and legs. Similar to Red-throated Caracara that occurs in forest interiors, but has more extensive black plumage and is found in more open habitats. Frequently travels in pairs or groups and is often found around human activity in agricultural areas and riverside towns.
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