White-rumped Shrike
Eurocephalus ruppelli
A big fluffy shrike with unusual white and dark brown coloration. Note the white crown and the white rump patch that is conspicuous in floppy flight. Immatures look very different, with a dark crown and white cheek, but usually associate with adults. Found in dry savanna and woodland, usually in small flocks. Perches up conspicuously and swoops to the ground to catch prey. Similar to White-crowned Shrike, but ranges don’t overlap. Loud and unmelodious vocalizations include cawing and scolding notes.
Identification
The northern white-crowned shrike is a 19–23-cm long passerine. The adult has a white crown and rump, black eyestripe, brown back and wings and black tail. The throat, breast and belly are white, and the flanks are brown. The sexes are similar, but juveniles have a brown crown, white head sides, and grey breast. The flight is parrot-like.<p>Several subspecies have been described, but there is extensive individual variation in plumage. Although birds in the north of the range are larger than in the south, the difference is clinal and the northern white-crowned shrike may be monotypic.<p>The calls are high-pitched squawks, squeaks and chatters, including kek-kek and chee-chee.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Eurocephalus ruppelli
- Authority
- Bonaparte, 1853
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Laniidae
- Genus
- Eurocephalus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The northern white-crowned shrike is gregarious, occurring in groups of up 12 birds. It hunts from an exposed perch, feeding mainly on large insects, usually taken from the ground. It also will feed from the backs of large mammals, like an oxpecker, and occasionally will eat fruit which has fallen to the ground.<p>The neat thick-walled cup nest is constructed from grass and spider webs in a horizontal tree fork 4–6 metres above the ground. The two to four white or lilac eggs are blotched with grey, purple or brown. It is likely that cooperative breeding occurs, given the gregarious habits of this species and the known cooperative breeding of the closely related southern white-crowned shrike.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Fairly large flycatcher, dark gray above and clean white below with blacker head. Look for white tail tip. Name is somewhat misleading; it does occur over most of eastern North America but also reaches as far west as British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. Fairly common and conspicuous; perches out in the open, often on tall trees, snags, fences, and utility lines. Watches for large insects and makes quick flights to snatch them. Listen for metallic twittering calls. Winters in lowlands of South America.
Groundscraper Thrush
Turdus litsitsirupa
A tall, bold, long-legged, short-tailed thrush with gray-brown upperparts, heavily spotted white underparts, and a strongly marked face. In flight, shows distinctive large buff patches in the broad wings. Pairs and small groups occupy moorland, grassland, and open woodland, favoring heavily grazed and burned areas. Runs long distances on the ground hunting invertebrates, stopping bolt upright and flicking its wings. The song is a grating, unmelodic “lit-sit-siru-pa.” The call is a rattle of variable speed.
Choco Warbler
Myiothlypis chlorophrys
Small warbler found in cloud forest in western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador. Field marks include bright yellow underparts a well as dark stripes through face and on sides of crown. Orange central crown stripe may not be evident in the field. Similar to Three-striped Warbler, but yellower, has thinner crown stripes, and lacks crescent below eye. Pairs or small groups forage actively in lower to middle levels in the forest, often with mixed species flocks. Song is a rising and accelerating buzzy trill. Formerly called Golden-bellied Warbler.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.