Todd's Sirystes
Sirystes subcanescens
Medium-sized, gray-and-white flycatcher of rainforest canopy. Note clean white underparts, contrasting dark head, and (usually) ruffled crown feathers. A rather uncommon resident of tall rainforest; usually found in pairs or small groups, which can be quite noisy and often perch on exposed bare branches. Feeds mainly on insects gleaned in short flights to foliage. May follow mixed-species flocks but often observed away from them. Most easily detected by its varied, strident calls, which include a long, mournful whistle reminiscent of Dusky-capped Flycatcher, and a rapid series of short whistles, the final one lower-pitched and longer. Distinguished from Dusky-capped Flycatcher by white underparts and more varied, excited-sounding vocalizations.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Sirystes subcanescens
- Authority
- Todd, 1920
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Sirystes
Range and habitat
It is found from Guyana throughout northeastern Amazonian Brazil. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Grauer's Warbler
Graueria vittata
Taxonomically unusual though not very boldly marked warbler. In poor light, or at a distance, looks dingy overall. A good look reveals a brown-olive back, and underparts that are heavily marked with fine barring. Found in thick understory tangles in montane forest of the Albertine Rift. Usually detected by its odd voice: a high, short, rising trill which sounds more like an insect than a bird. Most likely to be confused with Green-backed Camaroptera, but is larger, has a dark rather than red eye, and has fine barring below.
Sakhalin Grasshopper Warbler
Helopsaltes amnicola
A nondescript songbird that skulks in taiga undergrowth, where very difficult to see well. Breeds on Hokkaido, Sakhalin Island, and the Kuril Islands. Very similar to Gray’s Grasshopper-Warbler, which breeds on mainland of far northeastern Asia and has a different song. Migrants very difficult to distinguish from Gray’s, but Sakhalin averages warmer-toned and browner, with perhaps a slightly paler throat. Sings from deep cover, day and night, a hurried, loud, choppy song.
Tawny-shouldered Blackbird
Agelaius humeralis
A gregarious species that uses a wide variety of habitats. It is colored black overall except for a yellow-orange shoulder patch, which is usually visible when perched, but should always be apparent in flight. The very similar male Red-shouldered Blackbird can be told by its redder shoulder. The female Red-shouldered Blackbird lacks color on the shoulder and thus can look nearly identical to a Tawny-shouldered Blackbird when its shoulder patch is hidden; sometimes, identification of females can only be made in flight. The Shiny Cowbird lacks a shoulder patch, is quite glossy, and has a shorter and stouter bill than the Tawny-shouldered Blackbird. Vocalizations include a rough “chet,” a sharp musical “chee,” and a metallic upslurred “willeee.”
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