Yellow-crowned tyrannulet

Tyrannulus elatus

Photo by Michel Giraud-Audine (Oiseaux)

Common name:

yellow-crowned tyrannulet (en); maria-te-viu (pt); tyranneau roitelet (fr); mosquerito-coronado (es); gelbscheitel-olivtyrann (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Tyrannidae

Range:

This South American species is found from Costa Rica and Panama, through Venezuela and Colombia, and into the Guyanas, Brazil, Ecuador and Bolivia.

Size:

This small tyrant-flycatcher is 10-11 cm long and weighs 7-8 g.

Habitat:

They are found in lowland moist forest edges, in swampy areas, sparse woodlands, forest clearings and gardens.

Diet:

Although mostly insectivorous, they take both small insects and berries.

Breeding:

Yellow-crowned tyrannulets often nest in a cup made of plant matter, but some cases are know of nests made exclusively of mistletoe seeds, taking advantage of their adhesive properties. There the female lays 2 eggs, which she incubates alone for 15-19 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 18-20 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

Although the global population size is yet to be quantified, this species is described as common over its very large breeding range. This species tolerates a wide variety of degraded and artificial habitats such as plantations and gardens. Its range is suspected to be increasing in northern Central America as a result of ongoing deforestation

Black-hooded antshrike

Thamnophilus bridgesi

Photo by Norbert Sauberer (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:

black-hooded antshrike (en); choca-de-capuz (pt); batara capucin (fr); batará negruzco (es); kapuzenameisenwürger (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Thamnophilidae

Range:

This species is only found in the southern Pacific lowlands and foothills of Costa Rica and western Panama.

Size:

These birds are 14-16 cm long and weigh 22-24 g.

Habitat:

These birds are mostly found along the edges of rainforests, in mangroves and second growth forests.

Diet:

Black-hooded antshrikes glean insects and spider from leaves.

Breeding:

They mostly breed in April-July. They nest on a deep, thin-walled cup, suspended from the surrounding vegetation, where the female lays 2 eggs. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 14-16 days and the chicks fledge 9-11 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

Although the black-hooded antshrike has a restricted breeding range, it is described as fairly common. This population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction, but it is not considered threatened at present.

Bonelli's eagle

Aquila fasciata

Photo by René Dumoulin (Oiseaux)

Common name:

Bonelli's eagle (en); águia-de-Bonelli (pt); aigle de Bonelli (fr); águila perdicera (es); habichtsadler (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Falconiformes

Family Accipitridae

Range:

This species is found in in scattered populations from southern Europe, in Portugal, Spain and southern France, south to north-west Africa, along the Mediterranean into the Arabian Peninsula and in India and southern China.

Size:

This medium-sized eagle is 55-72 cm long and has a wingspan of 142-180 cm. They weigh 1,6-2,4 kg.

Habitat:

The Bonelli's eagle tends to live in warm mountainous regions, nesting on cliff edges and sometimes on trees. Typically, vegetation in these areas is dominated by scrub, but they also use more densely covered areas and almost completely bare areas. They tends to live at low and medium altitudes, but can be found as high as 2.000 m above sea level.

Diet:

This agile hunters takes its prey either from the ground or in flight. They mostly hunt small to medium-sized mammals and birds, namely rabbits, hares, pigeons, doves and partridges. They also prey on rats, bats, reptiles, ducks, and various other species of birds, ranging from herons to cuckoos.

Breeding:

Bonelli's eagles start laying eggs in January-March. Each year, the pair cooperates in building up to 6 huge nests made of branches and twigs and lined with leaves and feathers. The nests are placed either on a rick wall or on the top of a tall tree, and only 1 nest is used in the end. The female lays 2 white eggs with brown spots, which she incubates alone for 37-40 days while being fed by the male. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 55-70 days after hatching, but continue to be receive food from the parents for another 8 weeks.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and a global population of 10.000 individuals. The population is declining drastically throughout its range owing to over-use of pesticides, habitat degradation, loss of prey species, collision with power lines and persecution by hunters and pigeon fanciers. Although it is considered endangered in Europe, this species is not considered globally threatened at present.

Brown creeper

Certhia americana

Common name:

brown creeper (en); trepadeira-americana (pt); grimpereau brun (fr); agateador americano (es); Andenbaumläufer (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Certhiidae

Range:

This species is found throughout the United States, and southern Alaska and Canada, and also along the Atlantic coast of Central America down to northern Panama. They are resident over most of their range, but the more northern population migrate south for winter.

Size:

Brown creepers are 12-14 cm long and have a wingspan of 17-20 cm. They weigh 7-10 g.

Habitat:

These birds live in coniferous forests and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, requiring large trees (dead or alive) namely older red cedars, spruce-fir, and mixed conifers.

Diet:

Brown creepers primarily eat small arthropods such as spiders, psudoscorpions, and insects like stinkbugs, fruit flies, and weevils. Brown creepers also eat seeds and other vegetable matter during the winter.

Breeding:

These birds are monogamous, breeding in April-July. The male and female chose the nest site together, but the female builds the nest using cocoons and spider egg cases, anchored to inner surface of bark, and a cup made of fine pieces of bark, fibres, leaves, mosses, and feathers. There the female lays 3-7 white eggs with pink or brown spots, which she incubates alone for 13-17 days while the male brings her food. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 15-17 days after hatching, but continue to be fed by the parents for at least 2 weeks. Each pair raises a single clutch per year.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and a global population of 5,4 million individuals. Although this species is affected by habitat loss and degradation in some parts of their range, the overall population trend is stable.

Red-rumped tinkerbird

Pogoniulus atroflavus

Common name:

red-rumped tinkerbird (en); barbadinho-de-uropígio-vermelho (pt); barbion à croupion rouge (fr); barbudito culirrojo (es); rotbürzel-bartvogel (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Piciformes

Family Capitonidae

Range:

This species is found in tropical Africa, from Senegal and Guinea, along the Atlantic coast to northern Angola, and eastwards to D.R. Congo, Uganda and the Central African Republic.

Size:

These birds are 13 cm long and weigh 18-20 g.

Habitat:

They are mostly found in tropical and sub-tropical moist forests, but also in mangroves, dry and wet grasslands and plantations. They are present both in lowlands and in mountainous areas up to an altitude of 2.000 m.

Diet:

The diet of the red-rumped tinkerbird consists mainly of fruits, but they also eat insects and spiders.

Breeding:

These birds breed throughout the year, nesting in holes excavated into trees or and riverbanks. The female lays 2-3 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 13-15 days. The chicks are raised by both parents and fledge 20-21 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least concern)

Although this species is described as uncommon, it has a very large breeding range and there is no evidence for any declines or substantial threats. Overall, this species is not considered threatened at present.

White-crested laughingthrush

Garrulax leucolophus

Common name:

white-crested laughingthrush (en); zaragateiro-de-crista-branca (pt); garrulaxe à huppe blanche (fr); tordo jocoso garrulado (es); weißhaubenhäherling (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Timaliidae

Range:

This Asian species is found from the foothill of the Himalayas, In north-east india, Nepal and Bhutan, to Myanmar, adjacent southern China and south to Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. It was introduced in Singapore.

Size:

They are 28-31 cm long and weigh 120 g.

Habitat:

The white-crested laughingthrush is found in broadleaf evergreen forests, mixed deciduous forests, secondary forests, bamboos, abandoned cultivations, plantations and gardens. They are present at altitudes of 200-2.400 m.

Diet:

These birds feed on the ground or in middle storey in groups of 6-12 birds, mostly taking beetles and spiders. They also eat berries and fruit, sometimes nectar and small reptiles.

Breeding:

White-crested laughingthrushes breed in February-September. The nest is a shallow cup made of grasses, bamboo, leaves, twigs and roots, placed 2-8 m above the ground in a scrub or low tree. There the female lays 3-6 white eggs which are incubated for 12-17 days. There is cooperative breeding in this species and the chicks are fed by both the parents and several helpers, fledging 14-16 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least concern)

This species is described as common over its large breeding range. There is no evidence for any declines or substantial threats, so it is not considered threatened at present.

Weebill

Smicrornis brevirostris

Photo by Robin Eckermann (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:

weebill (en); gerígono-de-bico-curto (pt); gérygone à bec court (fr); gerigón piquicorto (es); stutzschnabel (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Acanthizidae

Range:

The weebill is endemic to Australia, being found throughout mainland Australia with the exception of some of the most arid areas in the centre.

Size:

These tiny birds are 8-9 cm long and weigh just 6 g.

Habitat:

The weebill inhabits almost any wooded area, with the exception of the wettest forests. They favour open eucalypt forests spending of their time in the canopy.

Diet:

They forage in flocks, mainly feeding in the outer edges of the tops of trees. They take a variety of small insects and their larvae, which they glean from the leaves.

Breeding:

Weebills breed in May-July. The nest is a neatly woven dome, made from grasses and other fine vegetation. It has a narrow spout-like entrance towards the top and the interior of the nest is lined with feathers and soft vegetable matter. The female lays 2-3 cream-coloured eggs with brown speckles, which she incubates alone for 12 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 10 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

Although the global population size has not been quantified, the species is reported to be common and widespread over its large breeding range.This population is in decline owing to ongoing habitat loss and degradation, but the species is not considered threatened at present.