Arabian Golden Sparrow
Passer euchlorus
A small, unusual sparrow of dry country. Males are mostly yellow with black-and-white wings and tail. In non-breeding plumage, males have a grayer back and a rufous wash on the head. Females are much plainer: buff brown on the back and pale below, with a yellow wash. Found in dry thorn savanna, thornscrub, and cultivated areas. Nests colonially, and usually found in flocks, sometimes large, and sometimes mixed with other bird species. Similar to Sudan Golden Sparrow, but virtually no overlap in range. Male is separated by its yellow rather than chestnut back, and females by being brighter and yellower, with less distinct back streaking. The common call is a rattling series of chirps.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Passer euchlorus
- Authority
- (Bonaparte, 1850)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Passeridae
- Genus
- Passer
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- AF, PAL : ne Africa and sw Arabian Pen. in arid thornbush and fields: coastal sw, sc, c Saudi Arabia and w, c Yemen (sw Arabian Pen.), Djibouti and nw Somalia
- Non-breeding range
- local movements
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Southern Hyliota
Hyliota australis
Mid-sized, generic-looking warbler-like bird. Males have a matte black back, a white wing patch, and very pale yellowish underparts. Females are similar, but browner on the back. Found mainly in broadleaf savanna, and locally in humid forest. Usually in pairs or small groups, which will join mixed-species feeding flocks. The quiet vocalizations include chatty calls and trills. Very similar to Yellow-bellied Hyliota. In most of the range, Southern males distinguished by the smaller white patch on the wing, and females by their browner upperparts. In Uganda and Kenya, males are extremely similar, but Southern can still be recognized by its non-glossy black back.
Bicolored Antvireo
Dysithamnus occidentalis
Small, plump antbird of Andean cloud forest. Very rare in Ecuador and northern Peru, but somewhat more common in western Colombia. Male is dark gray; female additionally has chestnut back and crown. Both sexes have white dots on wings; on some birds, these dots may form parallel lines. Inhabits understory of forest interior. Usually first detected by voice; vocalizations include soft churrs, rattles, and inflected notes given alone or in a quick series.
Chinese Monal
Lophophorus lhuysii
An inhabitant of rocky highland meadows, this glorious pheasant often forages in boulder fields in early morning and late afternoon. Adult male a veritable phoenix, with glittering blue back and tail, flame-colored neck, glossy green head, and black underparts. Blue patch of skin between eye and bill unique among monals. Less colorful female streaky brown with pale skin around the eye. Male gives a whistle recalling a rusty door hinge and high-pitched piping calls.
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