Naked-faced Spiderhunter
Arachnothera clarae
A small to medium-sized bird of forest and scrub from lowlands to low elevations in the mountains, with a long curved bill. Has a preference for plantain flowers. Overall olive-green in color, grading to pale yellow on the belly, with golden-olive in the wing and faint streaking on the chest. Note the bare orange skin coming down from the base of the bill. Birds in the east-central part of the range have an additional naked orange patch just above the bill. Somewhat similar to Orange-tufted Spiderhunter, but Naked-faced is larger and darker below. Voice includes a rough, grating trill, “grrrrrrr!”
Identification
The naked-faced spiderhunter is a small to medium-sized passerine bird with a long, downward curved bill. The plumage is predominantly olive green, pale yellow on the abdomen, with olive yellow on the wings and faint streaking on the breast. A characteristic feature is a patch of orange bare skin at the base of the bill, which gives the species its name. Birds in the east-central part of the range have an additional naked patch just above the bill. The species somewhat resembles the orange-tufted spiderhunter, but is larger and darker underneath. The calls include a rough drill, "grrrrrrrrr!".
Taxonomy
Genus: Arachnothera; Family: Nectariniidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Arachnothera clarae
- Authority
- Blasius, W, 1890
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Genus
- Arachnothera
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
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