Nuthatch-Vanga
Hypositta corallirostris
Small blue vanga that acts like a creeper or small woodpecker, feeding by climbing up tree trunks. Male is all blue, while female is greenish-blue on the back; both have a coral-colored bill. Madagascar endemic that is found in eastern rainforest at low and middle elevations. Usually in pairs, which are typically part of mixed flocks of other bird species. Most common call is a high, accelerating, slurred trill. Size, color, and tree-creeping habits make it distinctive.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Hypositta corallirostris
- Authority
- (Newton, A, 1863)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Sittidae
- Genus
- Hypositta
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Saunders's Tern
Sternula saundersi
Tiny, pale coastal tern. Has a yellow bill and neat black head markings in breeding plumage, and a dark bill and messier head markings in non-breeding plumage. Found on coastal sand bars and mudflats, and sometimes on the open ocean. Extremely similar to Little Tern. In breeding plumage, Saunders’s Tern can be identified by the fact that the small white patch on its forehead is squared off and doesn’t extend behind the eye. In non-breeding plumage, the two species may be indistinguishable.
White-chinned Jacamar
Galbula tombacea
Similar to many other species of jacamar: mostly glittering emerald-green with a rufous belly, long tail, and long pointed bill. Sexes are similar; female has a paler belly. Found in northwestern Amazonia, where pairs occur in the lower to mid-levels of mature lowland forest, often around water. Namesake white chin is not super conspicuous but usually visible. Also note brownish crown. Most similar to Bluish-fronted Jacamar, but apparently no range overlap.
Hypocolius
Hypocolius ampelinus
A slender, pale gray bird with a short bill and a long black-tipped tail. The male has a black face. This distinctive species occurs in arid scrub, desert, and nearby farmlands. Usually found in small flocks, often seen feeding on fruiting trees and bushes. Calls include short, squeaky wails and whistles.
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