Green-tailed Bristlebill

Bleda eximius

An unusual and colorful rainforest bulbul. The upperparts are dark olive-green and the underparts yellow. There are yellow spots at the corners of the tail and blue bare skin above the eye. Found in the understory of rainforest and lush secondary habitat. Sometimes joins mixed flocks and follows ant swarms. The calls are chirpy notes typical of bulbuls. Similar to Gray-headed Bristlebill, but separated by the olive-green rather than gray head, as well as the blue bare skin above the eye. Also similar to Red-tailed Bristlebill, but easily separated by the green tail. The song is a series of melancholy whistles which usually descend, and which are very similar to some vocalizations of Red-tailed Bristlebill. 

Identification

The green-tailed bristlebill (Bleda eximius) is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is found in West Africa from Sierra Leone to Ghana. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. The green-tailed bristlebill was originally described in the genus Trichophorus (a synonym for Criniger). Formerly, some authorities considered the yellow-lored bristlebill as conspecific with the green-tailed bristlebill.

Taxonomy

Genus: Bleda; Family: Pycnonotidae; Order: Passeriformes.

Scientific name
Bleda eximius
Authority
(Hartlaub, 1855)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Pycnonotidae
Genus
Bleda

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Behavior

Migration pattern: Resident species.

Conservation

Population trend: declining.

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Black Fantail

Black Fantail

Rhipidura atra

A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of montane forest undergrowth. The female is all rufous-brown, rufous tail and dark edging to the wing feathers. Male is very similar to Fan-tailed Monarch, but Black Fantail has a short white eyebrow and lacks the white side stripe. It also has a black and yellow bill. Female is similar to Dimorphic Fantail but larger, brighter rufous with black central tail feathers. Voice, a high-pitch, up-and-down “pluk plik pluk plik!”. Also a high-pitch jumbled warble ending in a loud “wichoo wichoo!”.

Yellow-browed Toucanet

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Small, green toucan found only in remote regions along the east slope of the Andes in northern Peru. Most of its cloud forest habitat is currently inaccessible without a serious expedition, so few birders have ever encountered this rare species. Plumage is mostly green with a red rump and tail tip, a white throat, anda blue breast-band. Distinguished from Blue-banded Toucanet by the yellow (not white) streak above the eye and the vertical white stripe at the base of the bill. Mostly black bill and blue breast-band help separate it from Southern Emerald-Toucanet and Chestnut-tipped Toucanet.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

Hydrophasianus chirurgus

An eye-catching waterbird found on lakes and ponds with extensive floating vegetation. Long-tailed breeding adults are striking: the large white wing patch and head contrast sharply with its black body and bright yellow neck patch. Short-tailed wintering adults and juveniles have a brown back, white underparts, and a toned-down version of the breeder's head pattern. Vocalizations include a variety of nasal clucking and purring calls; song, seldom heard, a repeated, ringing “ku-woo.”

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