Sepik-Ramu Shrikethrush
Colluricincla tappenbecki
A chunky bird with a thick dark bill. Quite plain: gray-brown on the upperparts and buffy below, with indistinct breast streaking. The breast pattern varies geographically: gray in some areas, contrasting with the buffy belly, and buff in some areas, the same color as the belly. Found at low and middle elevations in humid forest, including secondary forest. Rich, melodious, variable song consists of several penetrating whistles, generally in an up-and-down pattern. Somewhat similar to Rusty Pitohui, but smaller, with a dark rather than pale eye. Similar in size and shape to Sooty Shrikethrush, but never as uniformly blackish. Also similar to Gray Shrikethrush, but smaller, shorter-tailed, and browner, usually with more distinct breast streaking.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Colluricincla tappenbecki
- Authority
- Reichenow, 1898
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pachycephalidae
- Genus
- Colluricincla
Photos
Other Birds
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Phaethornis anthophilus
Large, long-tailed hermit found in northern Colombia and western Venezuela. Like many other hermits, the bill is long and decurved and the central tail feathers are elongated with white tips. Note the pale eyebrow that contrasts with its black mask. Also note whitish underparts and dull greenish upperparts without bright rufous tones. Fairly common in lower levels of dry forests, mangroves, and plantations. Most frequently seen visiting Heliconia flowers.
White-throated Seedeater
Sporophila albogularis
An endemic small finchlike species of north-eastern Brazil, notable for its thick bill. Males have a white throat that wraps around the side of the head, a black breast band, and gray-black upperparts. Note the male’s large yellow bill and white wing spot. Females are similar to other seedeaters being rather nondescript olive-brown above and buffy below. Inhabits scrubby savannah, dry woodlands, and adjacent open areas; often mixing with others seedeaters.
Eastern Double-collared Sunbird
Cinnyris mediocris
A medium-sized sunbird. Males are colorful, red and green, and females drab brownish. Males have yellow shoulder tufts that are usually hidden. Found in montane forest clearings and edges, heath, scrub, and gardens. Very similar to Northern Double-collared and Olive-bellied Sunbirds, but males separated by the blue border above the red chest band. Female hard to separate from Northern Double-collared, but can be separated from Olive-bellied by the lack of a pale eye-stripe. The call is a pure “tseet” that often precedes a quick jumble of high-pitched notes.
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