Ring-necked Francolin
Scleroptila streptophora
Medium-sized, elaborately patterned francolin. There is a striped head, a rufous nape, a white throat, and a band of black-and-white stripes around the neck. Shows at most a hint of rufous in the wings in flight. Found on the ground in grassy, open woodland. Shy, poorly known, and highly localized species. Distinctive call is a mournful series of several hollow notes that first go up, then descend. Somewhat similar to Coqui Francolin, but larger, with a different pattern below: mostly plain with a few bold streaks on the sides of the belly. Also similar to Red-winged Francolin, but has a cleaner white throat, lacks large red patches in the wings, and has a different pattern on the underparts.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Scleroptila streptophora
- Authority
- (Ogilvie-Grant, 1891)
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Phasianidae
- Genus
- Scleroptila
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Canvasback
Aythya valisineria
Attractive duck with distinctive triangular head; forehead slopes seamlessly into the long bill. Males are white-bodied with black chest, reddish-brown head, and red eye. Females are dull grayish-brown with unique head profile and dark brown eye. Breeds in lakes and marshes. Winters in any large body of water with submerged aquatic vegetation on which to feed. Dives frequently, searching for vegetation and invertebrates. Often gathers in large flocks in nonbreeding season.
Southern Martin
Progne elegans
Large swallow with pointed wings and slightly forked tail. Males are deep iridescent purple; females are also entirely dark, but are brownish below, with faint scaling. Migrates within South America; at some times of year, occurs with other very similar martin species, making identification difficult. Females lack the light belly of similar Purple and Gray-breasted Martins; males essentially indistinguishable from Purple Martin.
Sulawesi Honey-buzzard
Pernis celebensis
A small-headed, long-tailed raptor from Sulawesi and the Banggai Islands. Adult shows a dark crested head, a pale throat with dark central stripe, a rufous breast with bold streaking, and a barred belly. Immatures are paler with more tail bars. In flight, note long-winged appearance, uneven tail barring, small-headed appearance, and heavily barred body and underwings. Found in forest and forest edge in lowlands and mountains. Smaller-headed, smaller-billed, and longer-winged than the almost identically-patterned Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle. The honey-buzzard also differs in its unfeathered thighs and its unevenly barred tail. Gives a single plaintive “kew” note.
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