Juba Weaver
Ploceus dichrocephalus
A fairly small, compact weaver with a large bill. Breeding males are colorful, with a black head, a red eye, a rufous chest, and a yellow belly and back. Females and non-breeding males are dull olive-gray with pale buffy underparts and a pale patch at the base of the otherwise black bill. Found very locally in riverside thickets in dry country, often in small flocks. Similar to Black-headed and Golden-backed Weavers, but separated by range. Females and non-breeding males can be cautiously identified by the pale patch on the bill and by the overall size and shape. Vocalizations are typical of weavers: “chik” notes and a scratchy “radio static” song.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Ploceus dichrocephalus
- Authority
- (Salvadori, 1896)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Genus
- Ploceus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Barbados Bullfinch
Loxigilla barbadensis
A tame and conspicuous species of gardens, scrubland, and open woodlands. Its plumage is a combination of subtle browns and grays, and its bill is stubby and thick. This species could be mistaken for a female Black-faced Grassquit, but the grassquit has an olive back and is smaller overall. Song is a rapid “tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee…” or “tsit-tsit-tsit-tsit…” often consisting of five to fifteen notes. Calls include a sharp “tseet.”
Knobbed Hornbill
Rhyticeros cassidix
A huge black hornbill with a prominent knob on the bill, conspicuous red “gills” on the sides of the beak, a turquoise-blue throat pouch, and a white tail. Males have a red casque and rufous neck, females a yellow knob and black neck. Juveniles resemble male, but with an entirely yellow casqueless bill. Found in pairs or groups in canopy of forested and wooded areas of lowlands and hills. Larger and more colorful than Sulawesi Hornbill. Gives powerful, short “krok” notes and a more drawn-out “oooo-aa-ooo-aaa.”
Cream-throated White-eye
Zosterops atriceps
A tiny warbler-like songbird with a pale eye-ring. Greenish above and grayish-white below with a yellow undertail and variable amounts of black on the front of the head. Singles, pairs, or groups inhabit forest, edge, and cultivated areas in lowlands and hills. Confined to Halmahera, Obi, and Bacan. Separated from Warbling White-eye by whitish or gray underparts. Gives a high-pitched twittering song, characteristic of white-eyes.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.