Yellow-bridled Finch
Melanodera xanthogramma
Handsome, stocky, and generally uncommon “finch” (actually a tanager) of bleak rocky slopes and bogs above timberline in Andes and Tierra del Fuego; southern birds also range to coastal lowlands in winter. Sides of tail white on northern birds, yellow on southern. Male has black throat framed by diagnostic yellow bridle; head and body either blue-gray overall or strongly washed greenish yellow. Female streaky overall, best identified by presence of males, and white (northern) or yellow (southern) edgings to tail feathers.
Identification
The male is mostly yellow and grey with black markings around the face and neck. The female and juvenile are a mottled slightly yellowish grey.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Melanodera xanthogramma
- Authority
- (Gould & Gray, GR, 1839)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Melanodera
Range and habitat
Its natural habitat is high-altitude grassland, from the tropical in the north to the sub-Antarctic region of Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn in the south.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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A large, long-tailed bird of lowland and foothill forest. Blackish in plumage, with a bluish gloss on the back and a white tail tip. Note the wide red eye-ring, the yellow bill with red at the base, and the shaggy red crest from the crown. Forages in vine tangles for insects and other animal prey. Similar in size and shape to Scale-feathered Malkoha, but Red-crested lacks the obvious white hood. Call is a sharp “jok!”
Vulturine Parrot
Pyrilia vulturina
Medium-sized, largely green parrot with a striking head pattern. The head is featherless with a combination of orange, black, and yellow bristles. Note the orange shoulder and, in flight, the red underwings. Found in the canopy of humid forest. Call is a distinctive nasal series of “tree ... trayaweet” notes.
Philippine Jungle Crow
Corvus philippinus
Large crow endemic to the Philippines; note its relatively long, daggerlike bill with curved top. Entirely black with some glossiness evident in good lighting. Compare with smaller Palawan, Samar, and Sierra Madre Crows in areas of overlap. A frequent scavenger, feeding on carrion, leftover food from humans, and food stolen from other birds. Often gangs up to attack and chase other birds, especially raptors. Occurs in a wide range of habitats including woodlands, urban landscapes, agricultural fields, and open scrub forests. Call varies, generally a harsh or croaking crow.
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