Half-collared Sparrow
Arremon semitorquatus
Boldly-patterned sparrow found in the understory of humid forest and second growth; usually difficult to see. Note the bicolored bill (black above and bright yellow below) and black patches on either side of the breast. The black head contrasts with a narrow white eyebrow and gray nape. Olive-green above and largely white below with gray flanks. Listen for a high-pitched “tzee–tzeuuu-tzeeuuu” and a metallic “tic.”
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Arremon semitorquatus
- Authority
- Swainson, 1838
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Genus
- Arremon
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Mouse-colored Penduline-Tit
Anthoscopus musculus
A tiny drab bird with a sharp bill. Note gray back, whitish underparts, and faintly black-speckled forehead. Generally uncommon in dry savanna and thornscrub, usually found in pairs or small flocks. Similar to Sennar and African Penduline-Tits, but grayer on the back and paler below. Can also be mistaken for Yellow-bellied or Yellow-vented Eremomelas, but has a shorter and thinner bill and no yellow on the underparts. Vocalizations include high-pitched “sit” notes and long trills.
Gray Noddy
Anous albivitta
Elegant silvery tern with a thin black bill and large dark eyes. Whitish head and underparts contrast with gray back and wings when at rest. When in flight, note short forked tail and dark edging on the underwings. Flutters daintily above the water’s surface, dipping down in pursuit of prey. Usually encountered in small to medium-sized flocks, foraging in coastal waters off islands. Breeds colonially on rocky cliffs.
Australian Magpie
Gymnorhina tibicen
Large black-and-white bird with long, pale bill with dark tip. Larger than butcherbirds and differently patterned. Black head, face, underparts, white nape, upperwing coverts, and rump, and either black or white back (subspecies vary in plumage). Widespread in farmland, parks, and open woodlands, where usually seen in pairs or groups strutting on the ground. Song a memorable fluty warble.
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