Forbes-Watson's Swift

Apus berliozi

Brownish, mid-sized swift with powerful, direct flight. The wings are uniform, without significantly contrasting paler patches on the inside of the wings. Nest in caves and crevices, but can be seen in flight over many habitats, especially dry, montane areas. The call is a moderately-pitched descending trill. Very similar to Pallid and Common Swift, and separation is difficult in times and places where they overlap. Slightly darker than Pallid Swift and paler than Common Swift, with subtly different vocalizations. Also similar to African and Nyanza Swifts, but can be separated by the uniform wings without contrastingly pale panels at the base.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Apus berliozi
Authority
Ripley, 1966
Order
Apodiformes
Family
Apodidae
Genus
Apus

Range and habitat

Migration
Complete migrants

Conservation

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Wedge-billed Woodcreeper

Wedge-billed Woodcreeper

Glyphorynchus spirurus

Very small woodcreeper of evergreen forest in humid tropical lowlands and foothills. Creeps up trunks, often in spirals, picking at the bark for food, then flies low to another tree before hitching upwards again. Forages on fairly large trunks as well as slender trees. Often travels with mixed-species feeding flocks. Note the short, wedge-shaped bill and pale buffy breast spotting.

Blue-breasted Bee-eater

Blue-breasted Bee-eater

Merops variegatus

Beautiful bee-eater with a green back, yellow throat, and buffy underparts. The color of the breast band varies geographically. In some parts of the range it is black, but more commonly it is deep iridescent blue, though even this color looks black in most light. In flight, reveals a striking pattern of rufous patches and black bars on the wings and tail. Found in moist, open habitats including savanna, cultivation, and forest edge. Calls are short, wooden rattles. Very similar to Little Bee-eater, but separated with care by slightly larger size and by the pale patch along the top and back of the yellow throat.

Fasciated Wren

Fasciated Wren

Campylorhynchus fasciatus

Large, noisy wren of dry and semi-humid areas; ranges from western Ecuador south to central Peru. Upperparts, sides, and tail are boldly barred with gray and white, and breast is spotted with gray. Similar to Band-backed Wren, but lacks chestnut on underparts, has paler breast spots, and prefers more arid habitats. Pairs or small groups forage conspicuously in bushes and trees, giving a variety of harsh, raspy calls.

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