Papuan Scrubwren
Aethomyias papuensis
A small bird of upper montane forest understory. Brown upperparts, rufous wing and tail, pale brown underparts and a pale brown to gray eye. Note the dark spot in the wing with pale base to the flight feathers, buffy eye-ring and forehead. Searches for insects in small groups. Similar to Large Scrubwren, but Papuan is smaller and lacks the rusty face. Also similar to Buff-faced Scrubwren, but Papuan is usually higher elevation and lacks the gray crown. Song, a repeated, cheerful, whistled phrase.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Aethomyias papuensis
- Authority
- (De Vis, 1894)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Acanthizidae
- Genus
- Aethomyias
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Yucatan Woodpecker
Melanerpes pygmaeus
Like a small version of Golden-fronted Woodpecker. Found in woodland, beach scrub, semi-open wooded habitats; usually less numerous than Golden-fronted. Yucatan populations of Golden-fronted Woodpecker very similar in plumage, but Yucatan Woodpecker has a much shorter bill, ‘egg-yolk’ yellow feathering around the bill base (vs. reddish on local Golden-fronteds), and relatively wider white barring on back (looks silvery at a distance, vs. blackish overall on Golden-fronted). Voice is quite different from Golden-fronted.
Broad-billed Sandpiper
Calidris falcinellus
Small, odd sandpiper with short legs and a long, thin bill, turned down at the tip. Upperparts dark, contrasting with the white underparts and streaky breast. Furtive, with a slow feeding action. When flushed, flight is low and often short. Bold head pattern, evident in all seasons, is the best feature to look for in winter-plumaged birds. Breeds in taiga bogs, usually at coasts and estuaries on migration and in winter.
White-tailed Cotinga
Xipholena lamellipennis
Astonishingly beautiful cotinga. Males are glossy black with white wings and tail. Females are gray with a lightly mottled breast and white edges to the flight feathers. Note the white eyes in both sexes. Occurs in humid forest, where it is usually detected perched high in the canopy or in fruiting trees at the forest edge. The call is a loud “purp.” The female is very difficult to separate from female Pompadour Cotinga, but ranges do not overlap.
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