Scaly-throated Honeyguide
Indicator variegatus
Large honeyguide with a finely-spotted throat and streaky breast. Large white patches at the base of the outer tail are conspicuous in flight. Found in dense woodland, thickets, and forest. Inconspicuous bird that is most often detected by call: a high-pitched, ascending, insect-like trill. Similar to Spotted Honeyguide, but there is little overlap in range, and Scaly-throated shows fine pale spots above the eye and bill.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Indicator variegatus
- Authority
- Lesson, RP, 1830
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Indicatoridae
- Genus
- Indicator
Range and habitat
Scaly-throated honeyguides are found in dense woodland, thickets, and forest, usually only identifiable by their high-pitched, trill-like ascending call. Regarding size, they are 18–19 cm in length, weighing 34–55 g and rarely up to 61 g. [1] It is found in Angola, Burundi, DRC, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Blue-masked Leafbird
Chloropsis venusta
The smallest and most unique-looking of the leafbirds. Stout-bodied, with a relatively long, faintly curved bill. Both sexes have a blue face and yellowish-green belly; males also have an orangish chest and purplish throat. Endemic to Sumatran foothill forests, where it is typically encountered in pairs up in the canopy. Songs include a high-pitched jumble of notes and a repetitive squeaky “tsi’wee, tsi’wee”; calls include a dry “chit” and a sputtering rattle.
Congo Moor Chat
Myrmecocichla tholloni
An unusual and distinctive Central African chat. Mostly gray-brown with a white throat, rump, and undertail and white wing patches that are conspicuous in flight. Found locally in grassland, usually in pairs or small groups. Hops along the ground or sits up on low perches. Structure and behavior similar to Sooty Chat, but gray-and-white plumage is completely different. The cheerful song alternates higher whistled notes and lower chirruping notes. This song is often given in a hovering display flight.
Peruvian Screech-Owl
Megascops roboratus
Small screech-owl restricted to dry forests of western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Note yellow eyes, small ear tufts, and vertical stripes on underparts. Overall plumage coloration ranges from brown to bright cinnamon. Very similar in plumage to several other screech-owls, and best identified by range, habitat, and voice. Typical song is a fast, gargling trill; also gives soft yaps.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.