Barka Indigobird
Vidua larvaticola
A nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of Black-faced Firefinch. Breeding males are glossy black with blue or blue-green iridescence and a pale brownish panel in the wings. Females and non-breeding males are brown and streaky on the back and pale below, with a bold facial pattern. The bill is white and the legs pinkish. Found in woodland, grassland, and thickets, often near water. Breeding males can be identified with care by their vocalizations and by their blue or blue-green gloss. Non-breeding males and females cannot be separated visually from other indigobirds. Imitates the vocalizations of its host firefinches, including soft, repeated whistles.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Vidua larvaticola
- Authority
- Payne, 1982
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Viduidae
- Genus
- Vidua
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
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Isleria hauxwelli
Small, short-tailed antwren of rainforest understory. Forages low to the ground in undergrowth of mature rainforest, often around tree fall gaps. Males are even gray with white spots on the wings and tail; females are brown above and reddish buff below with tan spots on the wings and tail. Listen for a slightly accelerating series of raspy, rising whistles given at a pace of about one note every second.
Brown-rumped Tapaculo
Scytalopus latebricola
Small, mouse-like bird found only at higher elevations in Colombia’s Santa Marta Mountains. Adult is gray with a bit of brown on the rump and lower underparts. Young birds are browner with dark barring and scaling. The only other tapaculo in range is Santa Marta Tapaculo, which has a white crown patch, occurs at lower elevations, and has a different voice. Song starts with several sharp notes, and then abruptly morphs into a harsh, rapid trill. Skulks in cloud forest understory, where it is normally hard to see well.
Java Sparrow
Padda oryzivora
A small, plump finch with a very thick pink bill. The black head and white cheek patch are distinctive. Juveniles have a similar color pattern but are grayer. Social; forages in flocks and roosts communally. Forages in rice fields, grasslands, meadows, and urban and suburban areas (in introduced range). Call consists of one or more musical chirps. Native to the Indonesian islands of Java and Bali, where now quite rare. Introduced widely across the globe including India, Philippines, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and the Hawaiian Islands.
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