Wedge-tailed Jery
Hartertula flavoviridis
Small, dark understory tetraka. Has yellowish underparts and a gray ear patch. Active bird that often pokes into clusters of dead leaves. Frequently joins flocks with tetrakas and other birds. Most common vocalization is an explosive up-and-down series of high-pitched notes. Larger, longer-tailed, and with darker underparts than other jeries. Unlike Cryptic Warbler, inhabits the understory, is much darker, and has a gray ear patch. Unlike Rand’s Warbler, has an indistinct eye-stripe and a greenish back.
Identification
The wedge-tailed jery is a small, slender warbler-like bird between 12–13 cm long and weighing around 10 g. The plumage is bright yellow before and olive on the crown, wing and back. The eye has a pale white ring and is crossed with a pale supercilium. There is no sexual dimorphism in the plumage of adults, and juvenile birds have similar plumage as well.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Hartertula flavoviridis
- Authority
- (Hartert, EJO, 1924)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Philepittidae
- Genus
- Hartertula
Range and habitat
Wedge-tailed jeries inhabit dense stands of rainforest in the east of Madagascar. They are most commonly found in the mid-altitude rainforests between 500–1400 m, and are rarer at lower altitudes and absent above 2300 m.<p>The wedge-tailed jery is currently listed as near-threatened by the IUCN. The species is confined to mid-altitude rainforest, but this is currently the least threatened forest habitat in Madagascar. There is some danger of habitat loss, and the species is not common anywhere in its range.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The call, sung repetitively during foraging, is a nasal tsee zeezeezeezeezeezee. In the rainforest they forage in the low understory, gleaning insects from the undersides of leaves and branches, often hanging upside down to do so. They are also accomplished at extracting insects from clumps of leaves and spider web at the ends of branches. They forage in small groups and will also join mixed-species feeding flocks. They nest in small grass nests shaped like balls suspended between 1–2 m above the ground. Little is known about their breeding behaviour but they are known to have clutch sizes of two eggs.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Sooty Owl
Tyto tenebricosa
Medium-sized dark-gray owl with prominent facial disc and white speckles through the plumage. This handsome species inhabits rainforest, wet eucalypt forest, and surrounding habitats. Its pale feet seem too large for its body. The northern subspecies is smaller and paler. Main calls include a high-pitched "falling-bomb" whistle and insect-like squeaks and trills.
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
Rupicola peruvianus
One of the iconic birds of the Andes. Fairly large, significantly larger and chunkier than a thrush. Found in cloud forest at middle elevations, most often at a dawn display site where males make piglike squeals and jump and dance for females. Sometimes seen elsewhere in the forest, especially at fruiting trees. Males can be either brilliant crimson or orange, always with black wings and broad silver tertials, orange legs, and puffy rounded crest. Female duller brown with smaller crest; note staring pale eye. Nests on large rocks or cliff faces. Only similar species is Guianan Cock-of-the-rock, but no range overlap.
Eurasian Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodia
Distinctive, large white wading bird with a spatula for a bill. Adult has short crest, yellowish breast patch. First year has paler bill, with fine black wingtips visible in flight. Sleeping birds have horizontal posture and bulging neck, vs. more vertical stance of egrets. Found in wetlands with shallow water (including tidal flats), where feeds by sweeping its bill side-to-side for crustaceans and small fish. May be confused with egrets when sleeping, but note stockier, more thickset overall appearance.
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