Blue-capped Redstart

Phoenicurus coeruleocephala

An odd small redstart of open dry forests. Male doesn’t look like any other redstarts; somewhat resembles magpie-robins, which do not share its range. Dark head and white wingbars are striking; slate-blue sheen on the cap is often not visible. Female has weak warm tones on the tail, unlike most other female redstarts, but her two white wingbars and white eye-ring are unique.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Phoenicurus coeruleocephala
Authority
(Vigors, 1831)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Muscicapidae
Genus
Phoenicurus

Range and habitat

Migration
Vertical migration

Conservation

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

Ramosomyia violiceps

This attractive hummingbird has pure white underparts. Also note bright red bill with black tip, purple crown, and dull brown back. Prefers riparian habitats, such as woodlands along rivers. Common in Mexico; only known from a few locations in U.S., but unmistakable in U.S. range. Visits hummingbird feeders.

Moustached Antpitta

Moustached Antpitta

Grallaria alleni

Medium-sized antpitta. Typical antpitta shape: plump and short-tailed with long legs, like a grapefruit on stilts. Mostly brown with a brighter cinnamon belly and grayish crown. Note blotchy white mustache stripe. Very similar in appearance to Scaled Antpitta but typically occurs at slightly higher elevations. Moustached has a less pronounced scaly pattern on the upperparts, browner cheeks, and a slower, higher-pitched song without a stutter in the middle than Scaled Antpitta. Fairly rare and local within limited range in the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador. Occurs in mossy cloud forest in the lower subtropics from around 1,850–2,000 m. Very rarely seen; typically stays hidden in the dense understory, occasionally hopping onto forest trails at dawn or dusk.

Black-throated Barbet

Black-throated Barbet

Tricholaema melanocephala

A medium-sized black-and-white barbet. Note the boldly striped face and the black throat patch. Found in dry savanna and thornscrub. Similar to Spot-flanked Barbet, but lacks spots on the flanks and has a dark rather than yellow eye. Also similar to Red-fronted Barbet, but lacks a red front, and has a black throat. The common call is a series of several nasal “kya” notes. 

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