White-backed Mousebird
Colius colius
A mostly grayish, buff-bellied mousebird with a long tail, black-tipped silvery bill, and back with diagnostic white patch flanked by two dark stripes. Small groups inhabit coastal shrublands, farms, and semi-desert; prefers drier areas. A cooperative breeder; chicks from the prior year will remain with parents and help feed and protect the new brood. Sings a melancholic “cheee-wee-wee-wiit”; also produces a distinctive series of buzzes and clicks.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Colius colius
- Authority
- (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Order
- Coliiformes
- Family
- Coliidae
- Genus
- Colius
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Brown Cacholote
Pseudoseisura lophotes
Large ovenbird with rusty-brown plumage, a long crest, and piercing yellow eyes. Found in deciduous forest, second growth, and open woodland. Often also encountered in wooded urban areas like gardens and parks, where it mostly forages on the ground. The song is usually given as an unmusical duet.
Black-headed Brushfinch
Arremon atricapillus
A distinctive brushfinch with a patchy range in foothills of eastern Panama and Colombia. Most brushfinches have a prominent eyebrow but Black-headed has an entirely black head that contrasts with a bright white throat and olive back. Sexes alike. Singles or pairs are found on or near the ground in humid forest. Occurs from around 500-1,300m.
African Dwarf Kingfisher
Ispidina lecontei
A tiny kingfisher found primarily in the understory of primary and secondary forests, where it often perches at head height or lower, hunting for insects. Distinctive, with an orange bill, head, and belly, a white throat, a dark forehead, and a dark blue back and wings. When seen well, it also shows a purple ear patch bordered with white below. Similar to African Pygmy Kingfisher, but African Dwarf Kingfisher always has an orange crown. Voice is a high-pitched squeaky call.
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