Sahul Brush Cuckoo
Cacomantis variolosus
A medium-sized cuckoo, with a warm buff colored chest and belly. Gray eyering and heavily barred tail. Lack of a yellow eyering separates it from Fan-tailed Cuckoo, with which it overlaps in Australia and New Guinea. Calls frequently with an exhaustive series of separate whistles that fall in pitch and speed. Also does the remarkable "brain-fever-bird," a call that is repeated faster and faster.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Cacomantis variolosus
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Genus
- Cacomantis
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Fulvous-breasted Flatbill
Rhynchocyclus fulvipectus
Scarce, inconspicuous flycatcher of Andean cloud forest. It has olive upperparts, tawny breast, yellow belly, gray eyering, and brown patches in wings. Bill is very wide at the base, though this may not be evident when the bird is seen from the side. Similar to Pacific and Olivaceous Flatbills, but has a tawny breast and is typically found at higher elevations. Typically found perching at fairly low levels in the forest, sometimes at forest edge, and may join mixed-species flocks.
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Amazilia tzacatl
Handsome, medium-size hummingbird of humid tropical lowlands. Favors forest edge, second growth, gardens in some areas. Feeds low to high and often comes to feeders. Can be difficult to distinguish from Buff-bellied Hummingbird, which favors drier habitats. Rufous-tailed has a dingier, grayish belly and more extensive rusty on the tail, which lacks the distinct fork often shown by Buff-bellied’s tail. Also compare Cinnamon Hummingbird.
Rufous-winged Woodpecker
Piculus simplex
Fairly small woodpecker, overall olive-green with bright red crown and mustache. Barred belly. Female similar to male but shows red only on nape. Both sexes have pale eye. Don’t look for rufous in the wing, it’s very subtle! Found in forests and edges, singly or in pairs.
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