Pale-eyed Thrush
Turdus leucops
This scarce thrush is found in forests of the subtropical zone from Venezuela to Bolivia, usually at elevations from 1,000–2,000 m. Males are dark black with a staring pale eye and orange bill and legs. Females are rich dark brown with a dark bill, no eyering, and some pale mottling on the belly. To separate from other similar thrushes, especially note the lack of an eyering on both sexes. Not frequently encountered. Males perch at the top of a tree when singing; listen for the squeaky and complex thrushlike song. Otherwise most likely to be seen at a fruiting tree within the forest.
Taxonomy
Its genus is controversial. Some taxonomists place this species in the genus Platycichla based on morphology. The South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithologists' Union places it in the genus Turdus, as does the International Ornithological Committee.
- Scientific name
- Turdus leucops
- Authority
- Taczanowski, 1877
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Turdidae
- Genus
- Turdus
Range and habitat
It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Boulton's Batis
Batis margaritae
A cute, dumpy flycatcher-like bird with a black chest band and white throat. Sexes differ: male has a golden eye and white wing-bar; distinctive female has a reddish-brown eye and chestnut wing bar. Pairs hunt for insects, sometimes joining flocks, in montane, riverine and dry forest, and dense thickets. Male Chinspot Batis looks almost identical to male Boulton’s, but Chinspot prefers savanna habitat and calls differently. Calls a hollow melodious “wooooe” whistle once a second, and repeated 10–20 times, as well as typical batis churring and croaking.
Water Pipit
Anthus spinoletta
Breeding plumage grayish above with white eyebrow; breast pale pinkish, mostly unstreaked. Nonbreeding plumage grayish brown above, whitish below with dark streaks; averages smudgier and less well-marked than American Pipit. Sides of tail clean white; compare with dingy white of Rock Pipit in areas of overlap. Song is a long series of repeated high-pitched notes; essentially a slow trill. Call a high, lisping, slightly upslurred "ssiip.” Breeds in mountains on barren, often rocky ground; winters in varied wetland habitats, from lakeshores to salt marshes.
White-quilled Bustard
Afrotis afraoides
The male is a striking, medium-sized, mostly dark bustard with a bold white cheek patch and a reddish bill. The female has a black belly and is elsewhere finely barred. In flight it has a conspicuous white window on both the upper and lower sides of the wing. Scattered individuals, sometimes associated in small groups, inhabit arid savanna and Karoo scrub. It singscalls a strident, ratcheting “kraak-kraak-kraak” which leads into a maniacal “raa-cha-ka-ka-ka....cha-ka-ka-ka” display as the male flies around 20–30 m above the ground, with legs dangling. In flight, Black Bustard’s lack of large white wing patches separates it from the similar White-quilled Bustard.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.