Yellow-crowned Elaenia
Myiopagis flavivertex
Small, inconspicuous bird of coastal swamps and seasonally inundated forests. Yellow crown is essentially impossible to see under most viewing conditions; note dull overall appearance, indistinct wing bars, and longish tail. Inhabits upper levels of tall forest; also occurs in abandoned plantations and other disturbed habitats, where it may be found closer to the ground. Feeds on insects and fruit. Most similar to Greenish Elaenia but has more prominent wing bars; Forest Elaenia is more clean-cut, with a stronger facial pattern and white crown patch. Explosive song is a decelerating cackle; it is distinctive once learned and usually the most reliable indicator of this species’s presence.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Myiopagis flavivertex
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL, 1887)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Myiopagis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Spotted Thick-knee
Burhinus capensis
A tall, tawny-brown, terrestrial, plover-like bird with bold, blackish spots on the upperparts and without wing bars. It prefers a variety of drier country habitats up to 2500 m; avoids wetlands. Its huge yellow eyes hint at its mainly nocturnal habits. By day this odd species uses its cryptic plumage to conceal itself under cover. After dark, it emerges to run around feeding on insects. Spotted Thick-knee has a loud, distinctive “ti-ti-ti teeeteeeteeee-ti ti ti” call.
Papuan Harrier
Circus spilothorax
A common patroller above reedbeds, flying with wings raised in a shallow V-shape. Adult males are predominantly pale gray with a dark-speckled head, blackish back with pale-edged feathers, and black wingtips. Adult females are brown and streaky and lack the bold white rump patch of the similar female Hen Harrier. Juveniles are brown with paler heads and breasts. Extremely similar to Eastern Marsh-Harrier, but no range overlap.
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cetti
Dumpy and broad-tailed warbler, warm brown above and pale grayish below, with a narrow eyebrow. Can be quite inconspicuous in dense vegetation. On breeding grounds, favors tangled vegetation near water, including reedy marshes with bushes and scrub. Often heard but rarely seen. Explosive, rich staccato song often draws attention: oftentimes, a bird sings once from cover, then moves to another concealed spot and sings once again, not the persistent singing from a single perch that typifies many warblers. Winters in a range of habitats with dense vegetation, including drier areas. Calls include a sharp “pik!”, a lower “chup”, and a dry rattle comparable to that of a sparrow.
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