White-bellied Thicket-Fantail
Rhipidura leucothorax
A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of lowland and foothill wooded thickets. Blackish plumage with short white eye-brow, white patch on the side of the throat and prominent white tail tips. Also white-spotted chest and wing bars. Secretive and difficult to see. Keeps to cover with tail often cocked and fanned. Similar to Black Thicket-Fantail, but White-bellied unsurprisingly has a white belly. Also similar to Sooty Thick-Fantail but has the white tail tips. Voice, a falling note followed by a high-pitch ringing note “joo-wii!”
Identification
Medium-sized long-tailed bird (18cm, 19-19.7g). The plumage is blackish with a white belly, white spots on the chest, wings, side of the neck and a white tip of the tail. There is as well a short white stripe above the eye. The legs are dark - from dark gray to black. The tail is often upturned and fanned out. Males and females are similar. Juveniles are similar to adults, but browner in color, with spots on the breast and totally black bill.<p>White-bellied thicket fantail is similar to Black thicket fantail (R. maculipectus), but is differed by its white breast (which is reflected in its name). This species is also similar to Sooty thicket fantail (R. threnothorax) but that one has no white tip of the tale.
Taxonomy
According to IOC there are 2 recognised subspecies. In alphabetical order, these are:
- Scientific name
- Rhipidura leucothorax
- Authority
- Salvadori, 1874
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Rhipiduridae
- Genus
- Rhipidura
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Collared Babbler
Gampsorhynchus torquatus
Strangely shrike-like babbler with a hook-tipped bill. Body is warm dirt-brown and head is white; some birds possess brown splotches or speckles on the crown. Birds in the northern part of the range have black collars of varying extent separating the white of the head from the brown of the body. Similar to White-hooded Babbler, but Collared’s white head is more sharply demarcated, ending promptly at the breast instead of extending down to the belly. Flocks give loud rattling calls as they move through thick undergrowth, particularly bamboo stands, in lowland and foothill forests.
Gray-hooded Bush Tanager
Cnemoscopus rubrirostris
A unique bush tanager with its pink bill and legs, gray head, and incessant tail-wagging habit. Otherwise olive above with a yellow belly. Unlikely to be confused, but note bill and legs are gray in Peruvian population. Fairly common. Pairs or small groups forage in the middle to upper levels of forest, from around 2,100-3,000m. Typically follows mixed-species flocks.
Marsh Wren
Cistothorus palustris
Small, spunky wren with boldly patterned plumage. Look for dark cap, bright white eyebrow, and black-and-white stripes on back. Compared with similar Sedge Wren, Marsh is overall darker and more contrasty; especially note the solid brown shoulder patch and unstreaked crown. Habitat is also a good clue for identifying this wren: rarely strays far from water, especially extensive cattail marshes and rushes. Migrants are occasionally seen in wet weedy fields. Often difficult to see well as it skulks through reeds, but often perches conspicuously when singing. Variable song usually a gurgling trill with some introductory notes.
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