Red-fronted Barbet

Tricholaema diademata

A medium-sized black-and-white barbet. Note the red patch above the bill and the white eyebrow and breast. Immatures lack the red patch above the bill. There is some geographical variation, mainly in the amount of spotting on the underparts. Found in dry woodland and savanna. Similar to Spot-flanked and Black-throated Barbets, but easily separated by the lack of a black throat patch. The vocalizations are a long, descending series of hoots and a nasal “yank” note. 

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Tricholaema diademata
Authority
(Heuglin, 1861)
Order
Piciformes
Family
Lybiidae
Genus
Tricholaema

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

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Black-faced Rufous-Warbler

Bathmocercus rufus

Unusual and handsome forest-dwelling warbler. Males are mostly rufous, and females olive-gray, but both show a black face mask that continues down the center of the underparts. Skulks in the thick undergrowth of humid forest. The male sings a long series of high, penetrating whistles which can sound like a truck backing up. He is sometimes accompanied by low “trr” calls from the female.

Smoky Warbler

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Phylloscopus fuligiventer

Dark sooty leaf warbler with a pale brow stripe and no wingbars. Yellow wash to the underparts tends to be absent in worn birds. Extremely similar in appearance to Dusky Warbler, which averages larger and darker overall, and has a longer, brighter brow stripe. Breeds in scrubby areas above the treeline and moves downhill into shrubby and grassy foothill and lowland areas. Forages low on the ground, often around rocks or water. Song is a repetitive series of liquid notes. Calls are dry, hard “chuck” or “tick” notes.

Short-crested Coquette

Short-crested Coquette

Lophornis brachylophus

Tiny, scarce, and very local hummingbird restricted to humid forest and shade-coffee plantations in foothills of Sierra Madre del Sur, Guerrero. Feeds quietly at middle to high levels in flowering trees. Feeding flight is slow and insectlike, flying with tail cocked and showing off big white to buffy-white band across lower back—easily passed off as a big bee or moth. Male has short, spiky orange crest, green throat, and rusty tail sides. Female rather drab, with dull orange forehead, and dingy whitish underparts.

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