Wednesday 7 November 2012

Southern bentbill

Oncostoma olivaceum

Photo by Dominic Sherony (Wikipedia)

Common name:
southern bentbill (en); bico-curvo-do-sul (pt); bec-en-arc de Lawrence (fr); mosquerito piquicurvo sureƱo (es); gelbkehl-krummschnabeltyrann (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Tyrannidae

Range:
The southern bentbill is found in north-western Colombia and southern Panama.

Size:
These birds are 9-10 cm long and weigh 7-8 g.

Habitat:
The southern bentbill is mostly found in moist tropical forests, but also in moist scrublands and second growths. They occur from sea level up to an altitude of 1.000 m.

Diet:
They are mainly insectivorous, catching insects in flight or collecting them from the branches of trees. they also eat fruits, especially in winter.

Breeding:
The southern bentbill nests in a tinny cup made of weeds and grasses, placed in a branch of a small tree or scrub in the forest undergrowth, 3-5 m above the ground. There the female lays 2 white eggs with brown speckles, which she incubates alone for 19-20 days. 

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

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