Maui parrotbill

Pseudonestor xanthophrys

Photo by Michael Neal (Neal Studios)

Common name:
Maui parrotbill (en); bico-de-papagaio-de-Maui (pt); psittirostre de Maui (fr); pinzón loro de Maui (es); papageischnabelgimpel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Drepanidae


Range:
This species is endemic to the island of Maui, in Hawaii, where it is only found on the north-eastern slopes of Haleakala.


Size:
These birds are 14 cm long and weigh 20-25 g.


Habitat:
The Maui parrotbill is only found in mountain mesic and wet tropical forest, at altitudes of 1.200-2.150 m.


Diet:
They are insectivorous, using their bill to remove the bark of small trees and scrubs and collect the insects found underneath. They are known to eat larvae and pupae of wood- and fruit-boring beetles, moths and other invertebrates.


Breeding:
Maui parrotbills breed in November-June. The female builds the cup-shaped nest, using lichens and small twigs. The nest is placed in the outer canopy forks of mature ohia trees Metrosideros polymorpha, up to 12 m above the ground. There the female lays 1 egg, which she incubates alone for 16-17 days while receiving food from the male. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 18-20 days after hatching, but remain with their parents for another 5-8 months.


Conservation:
IUCN status - CR (Critically Endangered)
This species has a very small breeding range and the global population is estimated at just 500 individuals. The population is suspected to be declining owing to the effects of invasive species and other threats, although the rate of this decline as not been estimated. The Maui parrotbill is mostly threatened by habitat degradation caused by the spread of feral pigs, which have also facilitated the spread of disease-carrying mosquitoes causing avian malaria outbreaks. Furthermore, having a mountain distribution that is close to the maximum altitude within its range, this species is potentially susceptible to climate change

Zebra finch

Taeniopygia guttata

Photo by Biswarup Satpati (Trek Nature)

Common name:
zebra finch (en); mandarim (pt); diamant mandarin (fr); pinzón cebra (es); zebrafink (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae


Range:
This species is found throughout Australia, East Timor and southern Indonesia. A common cage bird, it has also been introduced to several other countries, namely Puerto Rico, Brazil, Portugal and the United States.


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


Habitat:
These birds are found in a wide range of habitats, usually near rivers or other water sources. These include dry grasslands and woodlands, saltmarshes, dry savannas, dry scrubland, pastures, agricultural land, rural gardens and urban areas.


Diet:
Zebra finches forage in large flocks, taking fallen or ripening grass seeds and also insects, especially during the breeding season.


Breeding:
They breed in October-April, varying according to rainfall. The female selects the nest site, which may be a small tree, a scrub, a cavity, a termite hill, a rabbit burrow, the nest of other birds or even open ground. She builds the nest, a loose dome made of a wide range of vegetable or even man-made materials collected by the male. There she lays 2-7 white eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge18-21 days after hatching, but only become fully independent 2-3 weeks later.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common or locally abundant. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats, and it may be expanding in range due to the introduction of artificial dams and water tanks in arid areas.

Rufous-cheeked nightjar

Caprimulgus rufigena

(Photo from River's Wild Notes)

Common name:
rufous-cheeked nightjar (en); noitibó-de-faces-ruivas (pt); engoulevent à joues rousses (fr); chotacabras carirrojo (es); rostwangen-nachtschwalbe (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Caprimulgiformes
Family Caprimulgidae


Range:
This African species is found from Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe, through Namibia and Botswana and into South Africa and western Mozambique.


Size:
These birds are 24 cm long and weigh 50-60 g.


Habitat:
The rufous-cheeked nightjar is mostly found in dry savannas and open mopane and miombo woodlands, but also in dry scrubland, freshwater marshes, plantations and arable land. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.600 m.


Diet:
They are strictly insectivorous, taking beetles, butterflies and moths, cockroaches, termites, mantids, lacewings, grasshoppers, wasps and ants.


Breeding:
Rufous-cheeked nightjars breed in September-March. They nest in a natural, shallow depressions in coarse soil, where the female lays 1-2 light reddish-brown eggs with lilac markings. The eggs are incubated for 15-17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 18-20 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats. The rufous-cheeked nightjar is in fact tolerant of areas disturbed by humans.

Red-billed chough

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

(Photo from Wikipedia)

Common name:
red-billed chough (en); gralha-de-bico-vermelho (pt); crave à bec rouge (fr); chova piquirroja (es); Alpenkrähe (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Corvidae


Range:
This species is found in the British Isles, in southern Europe from Portugal to Turkey, in Morocco and Algeria, and into the middle latitudes of Asia as far east as eastern China and Mongolia.


Size:
These birds are 37-41 cm long and have a wingspan of 68-90 cm. They weigh 270-310 g.


Habitat:
The red-billed chough is found in rocky areas, both on the coast, in river valleys and mountains, in pastures, grasslands, scrublands and low-intensity agricultural areas. They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 7.900 m, in the Himalayas.


Diet:
They mostly collect invertebrates from the ground, namely beetles, fly larvae, spiders and ants. They also eat the parasites of domestic mammals, grain and berries.


Breeding:
Red-billed choughs tend to breed in small, loose colonies, but will sometimes breed singly. The bulky nest is made of roots and stems, and lined with wool or hair. It is placed in a cave or similar fissure in a crag or cliff face. There the female lays 3-5 creamy eggs with brown spots, which she incubates alone for 17-18 days while receiving food from the male. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 31-41 days after hatching. Each pair raises a single brood per year.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 300.000-1.500.000 individuals. The population is estimated to be in decline following noted decreases in the European population, but this represents just 25-50% of the global population and not all countries show the same trend, so the overall trend is uncertain.

Grey-winged trumpeter

Psophia crepitans

Photo by José Formentí (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
grey-winged trumpeter (en); jacamim-de-costas-cinzentas (pt); agami-trompette (fr); trompetero ala gris (es); grauflügel-trompetervogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Gruiformes
Family Psophiidae


Range:
This species is found in the northern Amazon forests, from northern Brazil, Suriname and the Guyanas, to south-eastern Venezuela, southern Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru.


Size:
These birds are 45-56 cm long and weigh 1,3-1,5 kg.


Habitat:
Grey-winged trumpeters are found in lowland rainforests, from sea level up to an altitude of 700 m.


Diet:
They eat a wide variety of fruits collected in the forest floor, but also some seeds, insects and  sometimes small reptiles.


Breeding:
Grey-winged trumpeters live in small groups for 3-12 individuals, but only the dominant female breeds. She will mate with up to 3 dominant males and lays 2-4 white eggs in a tree cavity. The eggs are incubated for 27-28 days by different members of the group. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and join the rest of the group on the forest floor.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as uncommon. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and unsustainable exploitation, but it is not considered threatened at present.

Spotted catbird

Ailuroedus melanotis

Photo by Larry Dunis (Bushpea)

Common name:
spotted catbird (en); jardineiro-malhado (pt); jardinier oreillard (fr); maullador orejudo (es); schwarzohr-laubenvogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Ptilonorhynchidae


Range:
This species is found in northern Queensland, Australia and in New Guinea and nearby islands.


Size:
These birds are 26-30 cm long and weigh 150-200 g.


Habitat:
Spotted catbirds are found in tropical and sub-tropical rainforests and in moist scrublands. They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 2.250 m.


Diet:
They mostly eat fruits, but also seeds, flowers, sap, insects and during the breeding season even lizards, frogs and the eggs of other birds.


Breeding:
Spotted catbirds are monogamous and breed in September-December. The female builds the nest and lays 1-3 eggs, which she incubates alone for 19-25 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 19-20 days after hatching.


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

Green-throated carib

Eulampis holosericeus

Photo by Donald Gudehus (Parfait Image)

Common name:
green-throated carib (en); beija-flor-das-Caraíbas-de-garganta-verde (pt); colibri falle-vert (fr); colibrí caribeño gorgiverde (es); blaustern-Antillenkolibri (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Apodiformes
Family Trochilidae


Range:
This species is only found in the Caribbean, in the islands from eastern Puerto Rico and Grenada.


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


Habitat:
The green-throated carib is found in open secondary vegetation, semi-deciduous woodlands, rainforests, moist scrublands, agricultural areas and parks. It is present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.000 m.


Diet:
These birds mainly feed on the nectar of flowering scrubs and trees, including Heliconia, Lantana, Cordia, and Bryophyllum, as well as other flowering plants with long nectar repositories. They also eat flies, wasps, ants, small beetles and spiders.


Breeding:
Green-throated caribs breed in February-May. The female builds the nest alone, a compact cup made of bark and lichens, and lined with soft fibres of cacti, seeds, and tree ferns. The nest is usually placed in the fork of a twig, up to 9 m above the ground. There the female lays 2 white eggs, which she incubates alone for 17-19 days. The chicks are fed by the female and fledge 20-22 days after hatching, but only become fully independent 3-4 weeks later. Each pair raises 1, or rarely 2 broods per years.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species as a small breeding range, but it is described as common. Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to be declining and it is known to adapt well to human-affected habitats.