Short-tailed Akalat
Sheppardia poensis
Small, fairly plain, brown-and-orange robin-like bird. The tail is uniformly rufous-brown and the face is mostly orange, with a blackish or olive-brown cap. Found in the understory of forest at middle and high elevations. Shy and inconspicuous. The song is a quiet series of several mournful low-pitched whistles. Very similar to Lowland Akalat, but has orange extending further onto the face, more white on the belly, and is found at higher elevations. Also similar to White-bellied and Gray-winged Robin-Chats, but separated from the former by uniform tail, and from the latter by the lack of a strong white eyebrow.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Sheppardia poensis
- Authority
- (Alexander, 1903)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Sheppardia
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
White-bellied Antbird
Myrmeciza longipes
Medium-sized antbird with a disjunct range from Panama to Brazil. Variable plumage across range. Male generally rufous above and gray below with a white lower belly and blackish face and throat. Females are brown below with dark spotting on the wing coverts. Occurs in pairs in the dense understory of forest edge and second growth; often skulky and difficult to see well. Listen for a rapid trill that starts high and descends in both speed and pitch.
Ayacucho Thistletail
Asthenes ayacuchensis
Poorly known thistletail found only in a small area of the high Andes east of the city of Ayacucho in southern Peru. It is brown above, gray below, with a long wispy tail and a reddish-orange chin patch. It has a darker chin patch than Vilcabamba Thistletail and Puna Thistletail, and is not known to overlap with either species. It inhabits scrub and stunted forest near treeline. Song is a rapid, high-pitched trill.
Javan Whistling-Thrush
Myophonus glaucinus
Chunky dark blue bird. Brightest blue on the nape and shoulder. Readily distinguished from similar species by shape, uniform plumage, and dark bill. Often spreads its short tail in a rather unimpressive gesture. Endemic to Java and Bali, where it inhabits foothill and montane forests at 800-2400 meters. Typically encountered close to or on the ground, but will also perch up on branches at mid-height. Favors areas with rocky outcrops, sometimes (but not always) near water. Can be quite tame, especially in areas frequented by people. Gives a sharp, resonant “tsee-chk-chk!”
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