Tocuyo Sparrow
Arremonops tocuyensis
A large sparrow with bold black stripes on a gray head, olive-brown upperparts, and whitish underparts with buffy gray tinge. Eyebrow whitish, usually paler face and median crown stripe. Sexes similar. Uncommon to locally common in scrub and forest border in very dry areas. Hard to see, often in pairs foraging in dense vegetation. Vocalization is a very high-pitched whistle. Very similar to Black-striped Sparrow, which has a grayer eyebrow and is slightly darker overall, as well an usually inhabiting more humid habitats than Tocuyo. Found only in northeastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Arremonops tocuyensis
- Authority
- Todd, 1912
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Genus
- Arremonops
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Banded Woodpecker
Chrysophlegma miniaceum
Small but brightly-colored woodpecker with a spiky crest. Slight variation across its range, but all birds have a dark orangish face, dark chestnut wings, black-and-white-striped underparts, and a dark tail. Female duller overall, with a plainer face. Inhabits lowland and foothill forests, edges, and gardens, where it can be reasonably common. Often seen singly, but can be encountered in closely-foraging pairs. Favors tall thick trunks. Gives sharp “kek” or “week” call notes. Difficult to confuse with any other small woodpecker.
Black-banded Woodcreeper
Dendrocolaptes picumnus
This is a large woodcreeper with a hefty straight bill. Look for the combination of pale streaks on the head and breast and dark barring on the belly. Large range from Central America to northern Argentina, but usually uncommon. Occurs from lowlands up to around 2,000 m. Typically found in mature forest, singly or in pairs, sometimes following a mixed-species flock or ant swarm. Listen for a loud ringing trill that usually falls slightly in pitch, where each note sounds clipped.
Speckle-fronted Weaver
Sporopipes frontalis
A small, distinctive, sparrow-like weaver. The crown is black with white speckles, the back of the neck and collar are pale rufous, and the face shows a black moustache stripe. Found in dry or moderately moist savanna and woodland, usually in small flocks. The most common call is a short trill. The song is a pipit-like long series of rattling whistles.
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