Golden Pipit
Tmetothylacus tenellus
An unusual pipit of dry country. Breeding males are spectacular, with yellow underparts, a black chest band, and yellow wings with black tips. Non-breeding males and females are much duller, though they still have a yellow wash to the underparts and along the edges of the wing and outer tail feathers. Found in dry savanna. Wanders widely, and most likely to be seen after rains. Feeds on the ground, but often perches in bushes. Breeding male recalls a longclaw, but is easily separated by the yellow wing. Females and non-breeding males can be confused with other pipits and longclaws, but are smaller, and can still be distinguished by yellow in the wing and tail. The song consists of scratchy whistles.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Tmetothylacus tenellus
- Authority
- (Cabanis, 1878)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Motacillidae
- Genus
- Tmetothylacus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Caroline Islands White-eye
Zosterops semperi
A small bird, yellowish-olive above, buffy-olive below, with a bold white eye-ring, a yellow spot in front of the eye, and a thin black stripe from the bill under the eye. Found in forest and scrub. Voice includes squeaky chirps and high-pitched short whistles.
White-gorgeted Flycatcher
Anthipes monileger
Tiny brown flycatcher with a triangular white bib bordered with black. Gray head, frosty white brow, and ruddy wings and tail are not as eye-catching as the throat patch, but just as distinctive. Unobtrusive and retiring, generally keeping to the dense lower levels of foothill forests. Frequently forages in inaccessible gorges and thick streamside vegetation. Usually seen singly, occasionally in pairs.
White-bellied Spinetail
Mazaria propinqua
Small bird with a long, graduated tail. Both sexes have a brown back and rusty wings and tail; note the black throat. Occurs on river islands in dense, scrubby early successional vegetation. The song is a mechanical, nasal “eh, ehhhhhhhh.” The similar Plain-crowned Spinetail lacks the black throat, and Pale-breasted Spinetail has a rusty crown.
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