Shining Honeycreeper
Cyanerpes lucidus
Small, warblerlike tanager of foothills and adjacent lowlands. Found in humid evergreen forest and edge. Feeds at all levels, mostly in the canopy of fruiting and flowering trees and bushes. All plumages have more strongly decurved bill and shorter tail than the more common Red-legged Honeycreeper. Also note distinctive yellow legs. Male is deep blue overall with black throat and wings. Female has a necklace of bluish streaks across chest.
Identification
The shining honeycreeper (Cyanerpes lucidus) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae, the tanagers and allies. It is found in Mexico, every Central American country except El Salvador, and Colombia.
Taxonomy
Genus: Cyanerpes; Family: Thraupidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Cyanerpes lucidus
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1859)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Cyanerpes
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Tsingy Forest Rail
Mentocrex beankaensis
Chunky rail-like bird with rich rufous coloration. Found on the floor of dry forest in and adjacent to the limestone karst “tsingy” of Bemaraha and Beanka. Usually in pairs or small groups. Very shy, and looks almost like a mammal when scurrying away from disturbance. Most common call is a long, ringing series of “tyeow” notes. Also gives deep grunts. Within its small range, only likely to be confused with White-throated Rail, but smaller, with a shorter bill and a much smaller white throat patch.
Javan Scimitar-Babbler
Pomatorhinus montanus
An attractive, fierce-eyed babbler of tropical montane rainforest. Black head with thin, white eyebrow, white from the throat to mid-belly, contrasting strongly with remaining dark maroon body. Note the slightly decurved, yellow bill. Forages in noisy, small groups through the midstorey. Unmistakable if seen well. Calls variable, but commonly gives a soft “wu-tu” followed by a rising “whit!”, quickly repeated. Groups also give an excited chatter.
Golden-headed Cisticola
Cisticola exilis
Tiny, sandy-colored bird with short tail and dark-streaked back. Breeding adult males have orange-gold crown. Song a thin, high-pitched, drawn-out buzzing. Inhabits grasslands of northern and eastern Australia, where perches prominently. In similar grassland habitats, Tawny Grassbird has much longer tail. Very similar Zitting Cisticola always has a streaked crown and a very different “tick-tick-tick” song but otherwise almost identical.
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