Gray-headed Broadbill
Smithornis sharpei
A dumpy bird with a blue-gray head, a chunky bill, a brown back, and a pale belly with dark streaks. The breast band is broken into two patches and is orange in the male and buff in the female. Pairs are resident at middle levels and in the understory of lowland and montane forest. Call is a thin high-pitched whistle “heeeuuw”; the species also displays with a bizarre mechanical rattle “prrdddrrtt” made by the wings. African Broadbill is smaller and duller than Gray-headed, and Rufous-sided Broadbill has a dark head and white wingbars.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Smithornis sharpei
- Authority
- Alexander, 1903
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Calyptomenidae
- Genus
- Smithornis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Plain-winged Antshrike
Thamnophilus schistaceus
Even-colored antshrike of forest under- and midstory. Often travels with mixed-species flocks. Males are plain gray; females are tawny with olive underparts. Females have a more contrasting reddish cap than other female antshrikes. Heard more often than seen; listen for a series of accelerating “awh” notes terminating in a punctuated down-slurred note.
Bronzed Drongo
Dicrurus aeneus
A small and compact drongo that is glossy black overall, with a short, moderately forked tail. The shiny feathers on the head, breast, and back of the neck contrast with the plain black face and belly. It often occurs in pairs and small groups, as well as in mixed-species foraging flocks. It is found in forests, along forest edges, and in well-wooded gardens and plantations. The calls are usually a pleasant jumble of shrill sounds, whistles, buzzes, and metallic notes.
Sri Lanka Gray Hornbill
Ocyceros gingalensis
Small hornbill with gray upperside and whitish underparts. Bill has no casque, and is pale in males, dark in females. In flight displays white outer tail and wingtips. Found in pairs and groups in forest and woodland, preferring drier areas. The only other hornbill in range, the larger Malabar Pied Hornbill, is black-and-white, and has a large casque on its bill. Song is an accelerating “kok-kok-kok” ending in a cackle; call a harsh “waa”.
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