White-crested Spadebill
Platyrinchus platyrhynchos
Small, charismatic flycatcher of forest understory. Key field mark is gray head contrasting with white throat and tawny underparts. Found in tall rainforest where it is relatively uncommon and difficult to see well; usually alone or in pairs. Forages from low perches, darting up to scoop insects from undersides of leaves. Slightly larger, chunkier, and plainer-faced than other spadebills. Often first detected by its sharp call note; distinctive song is a rising then falling trill.
Taxonomy
The white-crested spadebill was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the todies in the genus Todus and coined the binomial name Todus platyrhynchos. The specific epithet is from Ancient Greek platurrhunkhos meaning "broad-billed" or "broad-beaked" (from platus meaning "broad" or "wide" and rhunkhos meaning "bill"). Gmelin based his description on the "Todi Leucocephali" that had been described and illustrated in 1769 by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas. Pallas did not specify a locality but this was subsequently designated as Suriname. The white-crested spadebill is now one of seven spadebills placed in the genus Platyrinchus that was introduced in 1805 by Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest.<p>Four subspecies are recognised:
- Scientific name
- Platyrinchus platyrhynchos
- Authority
- (Gmelin, JF, 1788)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Platyrinchidae
- Genus
- Platyrinchus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Caprimulgus pectoralis
Medium-sized, typical nightjar, with a strong rufous collar. Both sexes have small pale marks in the outer wings and large ones at the tail corners that are white in males and buff in females. Found in a variety of habitats, including savannah, woodland, forest, and plantations. Song is a distinctive series of whistles: “dear lord, deliver us!” Most similar to Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, but darker, with a brighter and more distinct rufous collar. Male has less white in the wing and more in the tail than Rufous-cheeked Nightjar. Female has larger buff tail corners than Rufous-cheeked Nightjar.
Plain Martin
Riparia paludicola
Small, very plain brown swallow with a white belly. Uses many different open habitats, usually near water. Most often seen on the wing, sometimes in flocks, which can also contain other species of swallow or swift. Weak, fluttering flight. Inconspicuous “chit” call. Can be distinguished from all other swallows in its range by its plainness and small size. Rock Martin shows white patches in the tail. Bank Swallow has bright white underparts with a brown chest band.
Red-necked Amazon
Amazona arausiaca
A chunky and gregarious resident of wet upland forests; often found in flocks of up to 15 birds. Its green body, bluish head, and orange-red spot on upper chest readily separates this species from the Imperial Parrot, the only other parrot sharing its range, as well as parrot species commonly kept in captivity. The largely blue underwing, often seen in flight, is also distinctive. Calls include a shrill “chur-lu-weeek” with the final note louder and higher pitched, plus a shrill, almost trilled, “cureeek.”
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