Brown-backed Honeyeater

A brown, tree-climbing bird with a strongly curved bill. Appears small-headed; plumage is mostly rufous-brown with buffy streaking on head and neck. Found in tall rainforest, where it is uncommon and locally distributed; often occurs in areas with extensive bamboo thickets. Generally shy and rather difficult to observe. Forages at middle and upper levels, using extraordinary bill to probe into deep bark crevices, bromeliads, and broken bamboo stems. Regularly follows mixed-species flocks. Song is variable, usually an accelerating series of strident whistles. Curved bill should immediately distinguish this species from most other woodcreepers in range. In western and central Amazonia, may overlap with Red-billed Scythebill, from which it may not be safely separable unless singing.

Small round songbird found in heavy vegetation along creeks and thick wet forest, including bamboo clumps, of northern-central Australia. Brown above, pale below, with broad white supercilium, dark ear coverts, peachy-rufous flanks and undertail, and white markings in wing and tail. Usually carries tail cocked upright. Compare White-browed Robin, which is completely white underneath (and note range). Vocalizations include pleasant, repeated soft whistle (with 3-5 notes) and a sharper whistled call.

Male in breeding plumage has a golden-yellow cap covering the forehead and crown, and a blackish face and throat. Dark brown above with rusty edges to feathers, and buffy white below with longitudinal dark streaks on the flanks and upper breast. Non-breeding males, females, and juveniles more similar to other weavers; they have a yellowish buff eye-brow that extends down around the back of the face, streaky flanks, and dark brown upperparts with long streaks on the back. More partial to water than Baya Weaver, nesting around reedbeds in wetlands. Noisy near breeding colonies. Males make a continuous chirpy “cheer” or “teaur” call, not as loud as Baya Weaver’s.