Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant
Anairetes flavirostris
Active little bird of scrubby and brushy habitats in drier regions of the Andes and locally in the lowlands of Argentina. Often in pairs, hopping in bushes and weeds and can be difficult to see well. Best identified by bold blackish striping on breast and wispy black crest. Note the base of bill is bright orange (not yellow!), but difficult to see in the field.
Taxonomy
The yellow-billed tit-tyrant's genus, Anairetes, is believed to be most closely related to the genera Mecocerculus and Serpophaga; however, there is no definitive evidence supporting this claim. Members of the genus Anairetes are known commonly as tit-tyrants because their active foraging behavior and crests are reminiscent of the true tits in the family Paridae.
- Scientific name
- Anairetes flavirostris
- Authority
- Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1876
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Anairetes
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Lamprolaima rhami
Large, spectacular, and solidly built hummingbird of humid evergreen and pine-evergreen forest in mountains; uncommon. Feeds at all levels on flowers and sometimes perches on prominent high twigs. Most striking feature is the bright rusty wings, which typically flash brightly as it hovers at flowers; also note the big white spot behind the eye. Male often looks blackish below; the pink throat rarely catches the light. Female is dusky grayish below.
Chestnut Quail-thrush
Cinclosoma castanotum
Heavily patterned terrestrial bird of eastern South Australia, northwestern Victoria, and western New South Wales. White eyebrow and moustache, with a deep chestnut-brown back and intricately patterned wing. Female has white belly and gray chest, male white belly, gray flanks, and black chest and throat. Note gray sides rather than warm brown sides of Cinnamon and Chestnut-breasted quail-thrushes. Usually seen walking around in areas of open mallee woodland and shrubland. Call a long, high-pitched whistled "seeeep."
Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl
Glaucidium costaricanum
Small owl, active during the day and night. Very similar in plumage to other pygmy-owls, but limited range at high elevation (mostly above 1000m) is a good starting point. Overall brown to rufous with white stripes on belly; look for small white spots on crown and bars on flanks. Sexes alike. Found singly or in pairs in montane forests. Listen for whistled song of doubled notes given on an even pitch.
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