Fine-banded Woodpecker

Campethera taeniolaema

Fairly large green-backed woodpecker, with fine barring across the underparts and face. Found in moist montane forest, mostly above 1500m elevation. Very quiet bird that occasionally gives a “kwee” call. Similar to Fine-spotted Woodpecker, but found in different habitat, lacks a red or black stripe on the face, and also lacks barring in the wing and tail.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Campethera taeniolaema
Authority
Reichenow & Neumann, 1895
Order
Piciformes
Family
Picidae
Genus
Campethera

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Other Birds

Brown-flanked Tanager

Brown-flanked Tanager

Thlypopsis pectoralis

Small tanager found in dry valleys in the Andes of central Peru. It is gray with a chestnut-orange hood, a buffy tinge to sides and vent, and a whitish belly. Young birds are duller with a grayish crown. Distinguished from Rufous-chested Tanager by Brown-flanked’s lack of orange on the sides and lower underparts. Inhabits dense scrub and thickets; usually avoids tall forest. Song is a dry rattle, sometimes interspersed with harsh squeaks.

Greater Black Coucal

Greater Black Coucal

Centropus menbeki

A large coucal of lowland forest. Note all black plumage and pale bill with red eye. Found in thick cover of humid forest where it is very skulking and difficult to see. Similar to Lesser Black Coucal, but Greater Black Coucal is more often found in forest, and is larger with a red eye and paler bill. Heard far more often than seen. Call, a short phrase of deep hooting notes. A rising and falling ”Boop-bip-boo-boo”.

American Woodcock

American Woodcock

Scolopax minor

Plump, well-camouflaged shorebird that favors wooded or shrubby areas, usually near open fields. Plain buffy-salmon belly distinctive; also note intricately patterned upperparts with broad gray stripes down the back. Goofy-looking expression with huge dark eye placed high and far back on head. Extremely long bill used to probe the ground for worms. When flushed from dense cover, listen for high-pitched wing twittering and note rotund shape and long bill. Might be confused with Wilson’s Snipe, but woodcock is not nearly as dark and patterned. Fairly common throughout eastern North America, but secretive and rarely seen well in daytime. Always on the ground, except during well-known elaborate courtship display performed from dusk to dawn in spring. Listen for loud nasal “PEENT!” calls from the ground and high-pitched chirps and twitters (produced by the outer wing feathers) from high in the sky.

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