Choco Manakin
Cryptopipo litae
Quiet and inconspicuous denizen of lowland and foothill rainforest in eastern Panama, western Colombia, and northwestern Ecuador. One of the dullest of all manakins; both sexes have nearly uniform olive plumage with a slightly brighter yellow belly. Some birds show a faint, pale eyering. Distinguished from females of other manakin species by its longer tail as well as its grayish legs and bill. Rarely vocalizes, but sometimes gives short, descending whistles or a series of rapid, sputtering trills. Formerly considered a subspecies group of Green Manakin.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Cryptopipo litae
- Authority
- (Hellmayr, 1906)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Cryptopipo
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Spot-fronted Swift
Cypseloides cherriei
Little-known swift found mostly in mountainous areas, though flocks occasionally venture into lowlands. All dark with short square tail and angular wings. Namesake white spots on forehead and behind eyes are distinctive, but these can be extremely difficult to see. Many swifts are best left unidentified. Sex and age variation not well known; some birds, maybe juveniles, can show whitish scaling on belly. Occasionally seen singly or mixed with flocks of other swifts, but most often in monotypic flocks of up to several dozen individuals. Voice can be helpful with practice; typically a staccato chatter followed by “pew pew pew” notes like a laser gun.
Rufous Treepie
Dendrocitta vagabunda
A long- and stiff-tailed bird with primarily rusty-brown upperparts and dull orangish underparts. The head, mantle, and neck region are a dull, sooty black. The long graduated tail is pale gray with a wide black terminal band. Note the conspicuous silvery-gray, white, and black patterns on the wings. The blackish-gray bill is stout with a hooked tip. Found in a wide range of habitats from woodlands to scrubby patches, singly or in pairs feeding in the treetops. The call is a loud metallic “krowwiiii kroo.”
Santa Cruz White-eye
Zosterops sanctaecrucis
Small. Mostly olive-green with a paler underside and darker wings. Undertail is yellow. Note the black smudgy patch around and in front of the eye. Bill dark. Common in most forest and shrub habitats. Common call is a low-pitched trill, song a melodic warble.
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