Blue-headed Racquet-tail
Prioniturus platenae
A medium-sized parrot of lowland forest and edge on Palawan and neighboring islands. The two central tail feathers have extended shafts ending in a racket shape. Overall green in color, darker on the back and paler below, with yellow under the base of the tail. Male has extensive blue on the head, which is reduced in the female. Note the pale cream-colored bill. Occurs together with Blue-naped Parrot, but lacks the red bill. Voice includes various grating calls and shrill squeals.
Identification
The blue-headed racket-tail is 27–28 cm long. The plumage is green with a bright, light blue head, blue underwings (except for green coverts) and, in the male, a bluish breast. The beak is bluish gray and iris is yellowish. The species utters a variety of raucous squawks with the occasional musical phrase. <p>Ebird describes this bird as "A medium-sized parrot of lowland forest and edge on Palawan and neighboring islands. The two central tail feathers have extended shafts ending in a racket shape. Overall green in color, darker on the back and paler below, with yellow under the base of the tail. Male has extensive blue on the head, which is reduced in the female. Note the pale cream-colored bill. Occurs together with Blue-naped parrot, but lacks the red bill. Voice includes various grating calls and shrill squeals."<p>Little is known about this parrot. It is seen in pairs or small flocks, and tends to be very noisy in flight but more silent while feeding. The species feeds on a wide variety of nuts and fruits. It feeds regularly in banana plantations, resulting in some persecution as a pest. <p>Like all other racket-tails, they nest in tree cavities. Thus, they are reliant on larger trees to be able to breed.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Prioniturus platenae
- Authority
- Blasius, W, 1888
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittaculidae
- Genus
- Prioniturus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
White-chested Emerald
Chrysuronia brevirostris
Small hummingbird with short, black bill and completely white underparts; found in savannas, dry forests, and disturbed habitats. Hovers at flowers like other hummingbirds. Males sing a hard, rattling trill from exposed perches beneath forest canopy. Most similar to Plain-bellied and Versicolored Emeralds, but has shorter, entirely black bill; where these species occur together, White-chested may not be safely separable from them if not seen well.
Tawitawi Brown-Dove
Phapitreron cinereiceps
A medium-sized dove of lowland secondary forest on Tawi-Tawi Island, where it is the only brown-dove. Dark brown above with a gray head, purplish iridescence on the back of the neck, rufous-brown underparts from the throat to the belly, white under the base of the tail, and a pale gray tail tip. Does not resemble any other similarly sized doves in its range. Sings an accelerating series on the same pitch, ending in a trill, “dup-dup-dup-du-du-d-d-drrrrr,” reminiscent of a ping-pong ball falling on a table.
Crested Hornero
Furnarius cristatus
A mostly terrestrial and chunky light brown bird of the north and central Chaco, from central Argentina to Western Paraguay and extreme SE Bolivia. Distinguished from Rufous Hornero by crest, from Lark-like Brushrunner by plain plumage, and from Cachalotes by dull plumage, smaller bill and size, and dark iris. Generally found in woodland, thorn scrub, and adjacent habitats. Builds large, open mud domed nests on exposed branches or power poles.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.