Coral-billed Ground-Cuckoo
Carpococcyx renauldi
Elusive pheasant-like ground-dwelling bird, remarkably attractive when seen in good light: bluish gray above, pale gray below, with red bill and legs, pale eye surrounded by blue skin, dark hood and long tail that both show blue and violet tones. Forages on or close to the ground in dense cover of lowland and foothill forests, where it can be difficult to see despite its size. Male gives a haunting call, a long, sonorous whistle that rises at the middle and falls off toward the end.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Carpococcyx renauldi
- Authority
- Oustalet, 1896
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Genus
- Carpococcyx
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Yellow-winged Vireo
Vireo carmioli
Small yellowish bird; note bold wingbars and face pattern with short pale eyebrow and arc under the eye. Yellow underparts sometimes bright, sometimes paler whitish, but always some yellow tones. Could be mistaken for a tyrannulet but note thicker bill and more horizontal posture. Usually seen singly or in pairs, following a mixed-species flock through forest, edge, and second growth. Found at relatively high elevations in its limited range. Song is a slow series of short phrases, like a squeaky Yellow-throated Vireo.
Black-throated Parrotbill
Suthora nipalensis
Small black-and-orange parrotbill of mid- to high-elevation broadleaf forests. Bright orange overall with a black eyebrow, throat, and wingtips. Cheek patch is gray in eastern birds and orange in western ones. Similar in shape and coloration to Golden Parrotbill; on Black-throated, look out for grayer underparts, a deeper shade of orange, and a thick black brow. Strongly associated with bamboo stands, where it roves about in fast-moving flocks, giving high buzzy calls. Sometimes forms mixed flocks with other species.
Montezuma Oropendola
Psarocolius montezuma
Spectacular, very large ‘blackbird’ of tropical lowlands. Favors forest edge, open woodland, plantations, semi-open areas with trees; colonies of large pendulous nests adorn tall trees. Male is much larger than female, but sexes look similar: dark rusty overall with a black head, bold yellow sides to the tail, and ornate face and bill patterning. Flies rather directly, with slow, ‘rowing’ wingbeats. Memorable gurgling song sounds like water poured from a bottle.
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