Pink-headed Fruit-Dove

Ptilinopus porphyreus

An absolute gem of a dove, found only in high montane forests. Combination of bright pink head, black-and-white chest band, and leaf-green back is unmistakable. Female averages slightly duller than the male. Juvenile is green overall, with faint yellow feather fringes that fade with age. Like many other fruit-doves, can be difficult to see when perched quietly in the canopy; low, even hoots (sometimes with a blubbering series of higher-pitched notes following) can be frustratingly difficult to pin down.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Ptilinopus porphyreus
Authority
(Temminck, 1822)
Order
Columbiformes
Family
Columbidae
Genus
Ptilinopus

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Nicaraguan Seed-Finch

Nicaraguan Seed-Finch

Sporophila nuttingi

What this bird lacks in color, it makes up for with a ridiculously oversized bill. Male is all glossy black, female warm brown. Male’s bill is huge and pink, female’s is equally huge but dark gray. Larger overall size than other seed-finches and seedeaters. Could be mistaken for Thick-billed Seed-Finch but even larger bill should help with identification; also note lack of a white patch in the wing. Found in open habitats, especially fields with some scattered shrubs.

Karimui Owlet-nightjar

Karimui Owlet-nightjar

Aegotheles terborghi

Little-known medium-sized owlet-nightjar restricted to the mountainous Karimui Basin of eastern Papua New Guinea. Dark gray overall with fine barring; note chevrons on breast, thick black “eyebrows” that wrap around the head, and a black crown stripe extending down between the eyes; compare with other quite differently-marked montane owlet-nightjars, such as Mountain and Feline. Vocalizations poorly known.

Streaked Rosefinch

Streaked Rosefinch

Carpodacus rubicilloides

Large, bulky rosefinch. Male is pinkish-red below with a streaked brown back. Female is streaky dust-brown all over. Both sexes are very similar to Great Rosefinch; look out for dark streaking on the back in both, as well as smaller white, more solid-looking white spots on the underparts of the male. Breeds in dry open expanses with sparse scrubby vegetation at around 3700-5200 meters. Winters in similar habitat, sometimes descending to lower elevations. Song consists of somewhat hoarse whistled notes. Gives a sparrow-like “chweep” and a shorter “chep.”

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