Great Antpitta
Grallaria excelsa
Giant, upright, barred antpitta of cloud forest. Long and heavy bill, gray crown and nape, brown forehead and upperparts, and buffy throat. Underparts and cheeks ochre with strong black barring. Sexes similar. Rare and difficult to see even when singing. Mostly in darker understory in very wet cloud forest rich in palms, on the floor or at mid-levels. Song is a long, trilled “Br’ur’ur’ur’ur’ur’ur’…” ending abruptly, very similar to Undulated Antpitta but more uniform in pitch and pace. Also very similar in plumage to Undulated Antpitta, which has a smaller bill and body size, as well a blackish moustache and less contrast between forehead and crown than Great. Endemic to Venezuela with three isolated populations.
Identification
The great antpitta (Grallaria excelsa) is a Near Threatened species of bird in the family Grallariidae. It is endemic to Venezuela.
Taxonomy
Genus: Grallaria; Family: Grallariidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Grallaria excelsa
- Authority
- Berlepsch, 1893
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Grallariidae
- Genus
- Grallaria
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Eurasian Hobby
Falco subbuteo
Streamlined long-winged falcon. Note gray upperparts with plain tail, boldly streaked underparts with rusty leggings and vent. Swift-like; flight more graceful and aerodynamic than Eurasian Kestrel. Compare with larger, stockier, shorter-tailed Peregrine Falcon. Favors open woodland, heathland, and farmland with stands of trees; often hunts over nearby water bodies and marshes. Hunts in the air, catching dragonflies, swallows, and other birds, which it sometimes eats on the wing.
Bridled Tern
Onychoprion anaethetus
Tropical tern with gray back, black cap, and white forehead. Nonbreeding and immatures have a messy dark nape. Most similar to Sooty Tern but paler gray above with more extensive white tail edges, paler undersides of flight feathers, as well as longer and more slender eyebrow. Also compare with the paler Gray-backed Tern. Bridled Tern is found in warm tropical waters worldwide. It breeds on islands, usually concealed by a large rock or bush. Otherwise, usually stays far offshore, often seen perching on floating wood or debris. Rarely seen near land except when blown off course by a hurricane.
Large Green-Pigeon
Treron capellei
Largest of the green-pigeons, a stout-billed, heavy-chested, and broad-winged bird. Male olive-green overall, washed in gray, with small orange patch on chest. Orange-breasted and Pink-headed Green-Pigeons are smaller, brighter green, and have other colorful patches on the body. Female similarly colored but with paler, smaller orange patch; much larger than other green-pigeons. Gives groaning, undulating coos. Uncommon and localized in primary lowland and foothill forests.
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