Strong-billed Woodcreeper
Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus
Very large woodcreeper of pine-oak and evergreen forest in highlands and foothills; also occurs locally in lowlands. Forages mainly at middle to upper levels on large trunks and branches, often at big bromeliads; frequently travels with mixed-species feeding flocks that include jays and orioles. Inconspicuous, despite its large size. Note very large size, long and very stout grayish bill, and fine pale streaks limited to the head and breast.
Identification
The strong-billed woodcreeper one of the largest members of the ovenbird family and is the heaviest woodcreeper, though the slender long-billed woodcreeper (Nasica longirostris) is longer and the great rufous woodcreeper (Xiphocolaptes major) is larger overall. The strong-billed is 28 to 31.5 cm (11 to 12 in) long. Weights range between 103 and 144 g (3.6 and 5.1 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies X. p. promeropirhynchus have a dark brown crown and nape with buff streaks. Most of the rest of their face is dusky, with buffy lores, supercilium, "moustache", and throat stripe. Their back, scapulars, and wing coverts are brown with faint buff streaks on the shoulder. Their lower back is russet that darkens to the rufous chestnut rump. The tail is dark chestnut with paler feather shafts. Their flight feathers are tawny brown with dusky tips and rufous chestnut inner webs. Their throat is plain buffy. Their breast and flanks are brownish and their belly and undertail coverts are tawny cinnamon with small dark spots or bars. The breast and belly have narrow buffy streaks. Their bill is long, stout, and somewhat decurved; its color ranges from gray to black. Their iris is dark brown, amber, or red and their legs and feet bluish gray, green, or grayish black. Juveniles have a deeper overall color than adults, with ochre tips on the wing coverts and paler streaks on the crown and breast.<p>The other subspecies of the strong-billed woodcreeper differ from the nominate thus:
Taxonomy
The strong-billed woodcreeper's taxonomy is unsettled. The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) assigns it these 23 subspecies:<p>The Clements taxonomy and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World add two others, X. p. ignotus (Ridgway, 1890) and X. p. fortis (Heine, 1860) and list the subspecies in a somewhat different linear sequence than the IOC. X. p. fortis is known from a single specimen that was collected at an unknown location. The IOC apparently includes X. p. ignotus within X. p. promeropirhynchus.<p>The five Middle American subspecies (X. p. omiltemensis through X. p. panamensis in the above list) have been treated as a separate species. Similarly, the orenocensis group (X. p. solivagus and X. p. orenocensis through X. p. carajaensis in the list) has also been treated as a separate species. "Clearly, a thorough analysis is required."<p>This article follows the IOC 23-subspecies model.
- Scientific name
- Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus
- Authority
- (Lesson, RP, 1840)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Genus
- Xiphocolaptes
Range and habitat
The subspecies of the strong-billed woodcreeper are found thus:<p>The strong-billed woodcreeper inhabits a very wide variety of temperate, subtropical, and tropical forested landscapes. It favors the interior of primary forest and also occurs at its edges, in semi-open forest, and in mature secondary forest. It mostly shuns fragmented forests, plantations, and young secondary forest. The subspecies found in Middle America occur in montane forest, principally oak and pine-oak associations, but also in lowland rainforest and pine-dominated ridges. The subspecies of the Amazon Basin inhabit humid forest, principally terra firme and várzea and only rarely gallery and permanently flooded forest. The remaining subspecies in the northern and central Andes, the coast ranges, and the tepuis inhabit humid evergreen forest, cloudforest, and also dryer forest.<p>In elevation the species as a whole ranges from sea level to 3,500 m (11,500 ft). In Mexico it occurs between 1,500 and 3,500 m (4,900 and 11,500 ft), in northern Central America mostly from 1,200 to 2,850 m (3,900 to 9,400 ft) but also in lowlands, in southern Central America between 500 and 1,700 m (1,600 and 5,600 ft), in Colombia as low as 100 m (330 ft) but mostly above 1,500 m (4,900 ft), in Venezuela from near sea level to 2,800 m (9,200 ft) but mostly above 400 m (1,300 ft), in eastern Ecuador up to 600 m (2,000 ft) and in the Andes between 1,000 and 3,000 m (3,300 and 9,800 ft), in Peru up to 2,850 m (9,400 ft), and in Guyana and Brazil only in lowlands.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Chaco Sparrow
Rhynchospiza strigiceps
Small sparrow found in lowlands and foothills from northern Argentina to southeastern Bolivia. It has chestnut and gray stripes on the head and faint black and white mustache streaks. Similar to Yungas Sparrow, with which it was formerly lumped as Stripe-capped Sparrow, but is smaller with less black between the eye and bill, browner wings, and different voice. Inhabits open, grassy habitats with scattered trees and low scrub. Song is a fairly rapid series of sweet whistles, repeated every few seconds.
Chuck-will's-widow
Antrostomus carolinensis
Large night bird with a remarkably big head. Plumage is variable, ranging from grayish to strikingly rufous, but always intricately patterned. Very similar to Whip-poor-will but larger, longer-winged, and more rufous. Chuck-will’s-widow has less white in the tail than Whip-poor-will, but can be difficult to see. Strictly nocturnal, more often heard than seen. Listen for a loud whistled song calling its name: "chuck-WILL'S-widow." Sometimes found roosting on low branches during the daytime, especially during migration. Found in forests with mix of pines and deciduous trees.
Golden-billed Saltator
Saltator aurantiirostris
Scarce and local in the Andean foothills of extreme northern Chile, but widespread in much of southern South America. Favors brushy hedgerows and scrubby thickets, usually in villages and around agricultural terraces. Sexes look similar and bold face pattern is distinctive, in combination with big orange bill. Juvenile has a dusky bill and duller face pattern, but soon attains adult appearance. Loud bright song can draw attention, but often sings from a concealed perch.
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