Alder flycatcher

Empidonax alnorum

Photo by Simon Barrette (Wikipedia)

Common name:
alder flycatcher (en); papa-moscas-dos-amieiros (pt); moucherolle des aulnes (fr); mosquero alisero (es); erlenschnäppertyrann (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Tyrannidae

Range:
This species is found breedin in northern North America, from Alaska, through most of Canada and into the north-eastern United States as far south as North Carolina and Tennessee. They migrate south to winter from western Venezuela, through Colombia and Ecuador and into Bolivia, Paraguay and northern Argentina, always remaining east of the Andes mountain range.

Size:
These birds are 13-17 cm long and have a wingspan of 21-24 cm. They weigh 12-14 g.

Habitat:
The alder flycatcher breeds around marshes, swamps and other scrub-dominated wetlands, especially in areas with alders and willows. They winter in tropical moist forests and scrublands. This species is present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.300 m.

Diet:
They feed mostly on insects, but will also take some fruits, berries and seeds, especially during winter.

Breeding:
Alder flycatchers are monogamous and nest in a coarse cup made of bark, weeds, stems and grass, and lined with plant down or other soft materials. The nest is placed in a scrub or tree, up to 1,5 m above the ground. The female lays 3-4 creamy-white or buff eggs with dark markings, which she incubates alone for 12-14 days. The chicks fledge 13-14 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 49 million individuals. The population has had a stable trend over the last 4 decades.

Asian stubtail

Urosphena squameiceps

Photo by Robin Newlin (Birds Korea)

Common name:
Asian stubtail (en); rouxinol-rabicurto (pt); bouscarle de Swinhoe (fr); colirobusto de cabeza escamosa (es); kurzschwanz-buschsänger (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Sylviidae

Range:
This species breeds in Japan, Korea and marginally into south-eastern Russia and north-eastern China. They migrate south to winter in southern China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.

Size:
These birds are 9,5-10,5 cm long and weigh 7,5-11,5 g.

Habitat:
The Asian stubtail breeds in temperate deciduous forests and scrublands, often along rivers and streams. Outsise the breeding season they are mostly found in moist tropical forests, but also in dry grasslands, scrublands and marshes.

Diet:
They mainly feed on the ground and among scrubs, hunting for insects, such as beetles, and other small invertebrates.

Breeding:
Asian stubtails breed in May- July. They are mostly monogamous, but some cases of polygamy have been recorded. The nest is built by the female, in a hole under dead fallen wood, under living trees or in the stream banks. There she lays 5-6 pale pink eggs with pinkish red or reddish brown blotches. The female incubates the eggs alone for 13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 7-9 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and, although the global population size has not been quantified, it is reported to be locally common, with estimates of 10.000-100.000 breeding pairs in China, Korea and Japan. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Negros bleeding-heart

Gallicolumba keayi

Photo by Rob Hutchinson (Oriental Bird Images)

Common name:
Negros bleeding-heart (en); coração-sangrante-de-Negros (pt); gallicolombe de Negros (fr); corazón sangrante de Negros (es); Negros-dolchstichtaube (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Columbiformes
Family Columbidae

Range:
This species is endemic to the Philippines, where it is found on the islands of Negros and Panay.

Size:
These birds are 25-30 cm long and weigh 175-206 g.

Habitat:
The Negros bleeding-heart is mostly found in dense, closed-canopy rainforests, but also tolerates some secondary forest habitats, including selectively logged forests on limestone, and open and severely degraded forests with a few large trees. They are present at altitudes of 300-1.200 m.

Diet:
There is no information available on the diet of this species, but they mostly forage on the ground and are likely to have an omnivorous diet like similar pigeons.

Breeding:
Negros bleeding-hearts breed in May-August. The female lays 2 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 14-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 12-14 days after hatching, but continue to receive food from the father for another 2 weeks.

Conservation:
IUCN status - CR (Critically Endangered)
This species has a relatively small and fragmented breeding range and the global population is estimated at just 70-400 individuals. The Negros bleeding-heart was fairly common in the 19th century, but become increasingly rare by the 1930s, a decline that is possibly still going on mainly due to habitat loss and fragmentation through clearance for agriculture, timber and charcoal-burning. Primary forests have almost been totally destroyed in both Negros and Panay, where less than 10% of the surface are covered by forests of any kind. Trapping and hunting for food and for the cage bird trade may also be a problem for this species. Some conservation actions are underway, including the protection of some of the remaining primary forests patches in Negros can captive breeding for future reintroduction.

Reunion cuckooshrike

Coracina newtoni

Photo by Theron Seor (Komansava)

Common name:
Reunion cuckooshrike (en); lagarteiro-da Reunião (pt); tuit-tuit (fr); oruguero de Reunión (es); Newton-raupenfänger (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Campephagidae

Range:
This species is endemic to the island of Reunion, in the Indian ocean east of Madagascar. Within the island it is restricted to two very small areas in the north-west,  Plaine d'Affouches and Plaine des Chicots.

Size:
These birds are 20-22 cm long and weigh about 40 g.

Habitat:
The Reunion cuckooshrike is strictly associated with closed-canopy natural forest, occurring in mixed evergreen subtropical forest that also often includes areas of heath Philippia montana and tamarin Acacia heterophylla. Sometimes they wander into nearby plantations. They are found at altitudes of 1.000-1.800 m.

Diet:
They feed on insects, but will also take some fruits from native plants.

Breeding:
Reunion cuckooshrikes breed in September-April. They neat in cup made of twigs and lichens bound together with spider webs. The female lays 2-3 eggs, which are incubated for 15-17 days. The chicks fledge 20-23 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - CR (Critically Endangered)
This species has a very small breeding range and a global population estimated at just 50 individuals. The Reunion cuckooshrike lost most if its native habitat, being restricted to a very small area, thus being highly sensitive to any habitat changes such as degradation by the invasion of exotic vegetation or forest fires. Nest predation by introduced rats and feral cats causes poor reproductive success and there is still some problems with poaching for food. Additional threats include diseases, disturbance from recreational activities, fire, cyclones, invasive alien vegetation, potential competition with other bird species and habitat degradation caused by rusa deer Cervus timorensis rusa. Finally, having a mountainous distribution that is close to the maximum altitude within its range, this species is potentially susceptible to climate change. Conservation actions underway include protection of the remaining habitats, with a logging ban, control of exotic plants, fire breaks, better control of hunting, curbing of tourism, and action to reduce deer numbers. Rat and cat populations are also being controlled through the setting of poisoned baits, accompanied by the trapping of rats and cats to monitor their populations. 

Crescent-chested warbler

Parula superciliosa

Photo by Raul Padilla (Bird Forum)

Common name:
crescent-chested warbler (en); mariquita-de-peito-manchado (pt); paruline à croissant (fr); chipe pechimanchado (es); schmuckwaldsänger (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Parulidae

Range:
This species is found in Central America, from northern Mexico to Nicaragua.

Size:
These birds are 10,5-12 cm long and weigh 8-10 g.

Habitat:
The crescent-chested warbler occupies humid to semi-humid pine-oak forest, oak, and oak-evergreen forests, at altitudes of 900-3.500 m.

Diet:
They mainly feed on insects, but will also take fruits and berries.

Breeding:
Crescent-chested warblers are monogamous and breed in April-July. The nest is a cup made of green moss and lined fine plant fibers, grass stems, and hair, which is placed on top of a grassy tussock or on a bank near the ground. There the female lays 2-3 white eggs, which she incubates alone for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed by both sexes and fledge 8-10 days after hatching. Each pair raises 1-2 broods per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and a global population estimated at 50.000-500.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction.

Common flameback

Dinopium javanense

Photo by James Eaton (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:common flameback (en); pica-pau-de-dorso-vermelho (pt); pic à dos rouge (fr); pito culirrojo (es); feuerrückenspecht (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Piciformes
Family Picidae

Range:
This species is found in two separate areas, in south-western India and from north-eastern India and Bangladesh, through Indochina and into southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Size:
These birds are 28-30 cm long and weigh 67-100 g.

Habitat:
The common flameback is tropical moist forests, especially open, secondary forests, but also in dry deciduous woodlands, scrublands, mangroves, arable land, plantations and within urban areas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.700 m.

Diet:
They eat small insects, such as ants and cockroaches, larvae and also small scorpions, which they catch by gleaning, probing and pecking on the lower levels of the trees.

Breeding:
Common flamebacks breed in November-July. They nest in a cavity excavated on the trunk of a tree, typically less than 5 m above the ground. The clutch consists of 2-3 eggs. there is no information regarding the incubation and fledgling periods.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be locally fairly common to uncommon. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Yellow-bellied greenbul

Chlorocichla flaviventris

Photo by Ian White (Flickr)

Common name:
yellow-bellied greenbul (en); tuta-amarelo (pt); bulbul à poitrine jaune (fr); bulbul de vientre amarillo (es); gelbbauchbülbül (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Pycnonotidae

Range:
This species is found in sub-Saharan Africa, from Angola and northern Namibia in the west, through southern D.R. Congo and Zambia and into Kenya, southern Somalia, Mozambique and north-eastern South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 20-22 cm long and weigh 32-52 g.

Habitat:
The yellow-bellied greenbul is found in tropical forests and scrublands, especially areas of thick undergrowth in clearings in riverine and coastal forests, but also in dry miombo and mopane savannas, rural gardens, mangroves and semi-arid scrublands.

Diet:
They mainly eat fruits, but also seeds, flowers and insects. They are also known to take ticks from mammals such as impalas.

Breeding:
Yellow-bellied greenbuls breed in September-March. The nest is a fragile, thin-walled cup built of tendrils, twigs, dry grass and other plant fibres, typically attached with spider web to the foliage of a sapling, scrub or creeper. The female lays 1-3 eggs, which she incubates alone for 14 days. The chicks are fed and brooded by both parents and fledge 16-18 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as widespread and generally common. The population in Mozambique has been estimated at 40.000 individuals, but represents only a small part of the global range. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.