Bamboo Woodpecker
Gecinulus viridis
Sickly-green bamboo specialist, found in forests with bamboo stands from lowlands up into the hills. Male has a red crown. Overall plainness, combined with habitat, make this species fairly easy to identify. Forages slowly, pecking intermittently. Gives “nyeek” calls, often repeatedly, but evenly, without the descending or ascending pattern of many other woodpeckers.
Identification
The bamboo woodpecker, or Gecinulus viridis, is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Malaysia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
Taxonomy
Genus: Gecinulus; Family: Picidae; Order: Piciformes.
- Scientific name
- Gecinulus viridis
- Authority
- Blyth, 1862
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Picidae
- Genus
- Gecinulus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds

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Large, dumpy, almost tailless terrestrial inhabitant of the Atlantic Forest, where it walks quietly through forests with an open understory. This tinamou has a gray-brown barred back and vent, pale gray on the belly with a prominent pale stripe on the side of the neck. Very secretive, best identified by song, a series of “frru” whistles with long silences between them.

Red-billed Brushturkey
Talegalla cuvieri
A large, black ground bird of lowland and foothill forests. Red-orange bill, yellowish head, yellow eye and orange legs. Co-occurs with Wattled Brushturkey on Misool Island but Red-billed occurs at lower elevations and has orange legs. Similar to Yellow-legged Brushturkey but Red-billed is usually higher and lacks the bright yellow legs. Much more often heard than seen. The voice is loud, raucous, 3-note “wok-wak! wak!” with the first note lower and a gap between the second and third notes.

Isthmian Wren
Cantorchilus elutus
Small, skulking wren of foothills and lowlands in southwestern Costa Rica south into Panama. Found in forest edges, second-growth thickets, and brushy fields with cane grass. Heard more often than seen: song relatively short with bright phrases usually repeated a few times in quick succession. Note the bold white eyebrow, whitish breast, rich buffy flanks, and bright rusty tail barred black. Formerly known as Plain Wren.
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