Painted bush-quail

Perdicula erythrorhyncha

Photo by P.J. Vasanthan (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
painted bush-quail (en); perdiz-do-mato-pintada (pt); perdicule à bec rouge (fr); perdicilla piquirroja (es); buntwachtel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Galliformes
Family Phasianidae

Range:
This species is endemic to India, occurring in two disjunct subspecies. P.e.blewitti is found
from the Satpuras to the northern Eastern Ghats, while P.e.erythrorhyncha in found in the Western Ghats, the Nilgiris and other areas of southern India such as Biligirirangans and Shevaroys.

Size:
These birds are 17-18 cm long and weigh 50-65 g.

Habitat:
The painted bush-quail is found in dry tropical scrublands and grasslands, as well as in arable land, at altitudes of 600-2.000 m.

Diet:
They feed on the ground eating the seeds of various grasses and scrubs.

Breeding:
The painted bush-quail breeds in December-March and again in August-October. The nest is a shallow scrape on the ground, under a scrub or rock, where the female lays 4-7 pale-buff eggs. The female incubates the eggs alone for 16-18 days and the chicks leave the nest soon after hatching. The follow the mother and rely on her protection.

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

Giant conebill

Oreomanes fraseri

Photo by Sam Woods (Surf Birds)

Common name:
giant conebill (en); figuinha-gigante (pt); conirostre géant (fr); pájaro de los queñuales(es); riesenspitzschnabel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This South American species is found in the central and northern Andes, in southern Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 15 cm long and weigh 22-27 g.

Habitat:
The Giant Conebill is restricted to Polylepis woodlands, a high-elevation forest type that occurs above cloud level, at altitudes of 2.700-4.850 m.

Diet:
They are mainly insectivorous, eating caterpillars, beetles, small moth and aphids, but are known to probe the flowers of epiphytic mistletoes for nectar.

Breeding:
Giant conebills breed in October-December. The nest is an open cup made of twigs and sticks of Polylepis interwoven with soft plant material, and lined with moss, thin strips of Polylepis bark, feathers and sheep wool. The nest is placed within dense foliage, 2-3 m above the ground. The female lays 1-3 white eggs with brown specks, which are incubated by both parents. There is no information regarding the incubation period, but the chicks are known to be fed by both parents and fledge 14-16 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - NT (Near-Threatened)
This species has a relatively large but patchy breeding range. The global population size has not been quantified, but the giant conebill is described as uncommon and patchily distributed. The population is suspected to be undergoing a moderate decline owing to the destruction and fragmentation of Polylepis woodlands as a result of uncontrolled use of fire, firewood collection, intense grazing by cattle, unsound agricultural techniques and afforestation with exotic tree species.

Plain antvireo

Dysithamnus mentalis

Photo by Carmelo López (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
plain antvireo (en); choquinha-lisa (pt); batara gorgeret (fr); batarito cabecigrís (es); olivgrauer würgerling (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thamnophilidae

Range:
This species is found in Central and South America, from southern Mexico and Guatemala to Venezuela and western Colombia, through Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia and into central, eastern and south-eastern Brazil. The plain antvireo is also found in Paraguay and extreme northern Argentina, as well as in Trinidad and Tobago.

Size:
These birds are 11-12 cm long and weigh 12,5-15 g.

Habitat:
The plain antvireo is found in both rainforests and dry savannas, and to a lesser extent in swamp forests, at altitudes of 600-2.500 m.

Diet:
They forage on the lower branches of the trees taking insects and other arthropods, namely bees, moths, ants, katydids and spiders.

Breeding:
Plain antvireos breed in February-July. The nest is a deep cup made of made of small twigs and plant fibres, placed in an horizontal fork in a sapling up to 2 m above the ground. The female lays 2 white eggs with purple-brown spots, which are incubated for about 15 days. The chicks fledge 9 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 500.000-5.000.000 individuals. This population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction, but it appears to tolerate some degree of habitat disturbance and human activity.

Oriental cuckoo

Cuculus optatus

Photo by Tom Tarrant (Wikipedia)

Common name:
oriental cuckoo (en); cuco-oriental (pt); coucou oriental (fr); cuco de Horsfield (es); Horsfieldkuckuck (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae

Range:
This species breeds across most of Russia, in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, northern China, Korea and Japan. They migrate south to winter from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines to northern and eastern Australia and northern New Zealand.

Size:
These birds are 30-32 cm long and have a wingspan of 51-57 cm. They weigh 75-155 g.

Habitat:
The oriental cuckoo breeds in various forest habitats, including mixed, deciduous and coniferous forests in temperate and boreal areas and tropical moist mountain forests. Outside the breeding season they are found in tropical moist mountain forests and in scrublands. This species is present from sea level up to an altitude of 4.500 m.

Diet:
They forage both on the ground and in the vegetation, eating adult and larval insects, especially caterpillars.

Breeding:
Oriental cuckoos are brood parasites, laying their eggs on the nests of other birds, who then incubate and feed the young. Their main hosts are Phylloscopus warblers, such as Arctic warbler P. borealis, eastern crowned warbler P. coronatus, willow warbler P. trochilus and chiffchaff P. collybita, and also olive-backed pipit Anthus hodgsoni and Asian stubtail Urosphena squameiceps. The eggs vary in colour, sometimes mimicking those of the host species, and are incubated by the hosts for 12 days. A few days after hatching the young cuckoo pushes the eggs or young of the host out of the nest, to monopolize the food provided by the adults. It fledges 17–19 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range. Although the global population size has not been quantified, in Europe, the breeding population is estimated to number 750.000-1.500.000 individuals, even though this represents less than 5% of their global range. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Pipipi

Mohoua novaeseelandiae

Photo by Glenda Rees (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
pipipi (en); pipipi (pt); mohoua pipipi (fr); mohoua pipipí (es); graubraunköpfchen (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Pachycephalidae

Range:
This species is endemic to New Zealand, only being found in the South Island mainland and the small offshore islands of Stewart island and Codfish island.

Size:
These birds are 13 cm long and weigh 11-13,5 g.

Habitat:
This species is mostly found in temperate forests and scrublands, and also in exotic pine plantations, from sea level to the upper alpine limit.

Diet:
Pipipis are insectivorous, gleaning various insects from the branches and leaves.

Breeding:
The pipipi breeds in September-February.  The female builds the nest, a deep cup made of bark strips, moss, lichens, and dry leaves skeletons held together by spider webs. The nest is lined with grass and a few feathers, and placed in dense foliage in the forest canopy or in dense scrubs or vines in the forest understory. The female lays 2-4 eggs which she incubates alone for 17-21 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 restricted breeding range, but it is described as locally common and widespread. This population is in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and predation by introduced mammalian predators such as cats, dogs and rats, but it is not considered threatened at present.

Grey-backed hawk

Leucopternis occidentalis

Photo by Dusan Brinkhuizen (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
grey-backed hawk (en); gavião-de-dorso-cinzento (pt); buse à dos gris (fr); busardo dorsigrís (es); graurückenbussard (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Falconiformes
Family Accipitridae

Range:
This species is only found in western Ecuador and adjacent parts of north-western Peru, having a very fragmented range.

Size:
These birds are 45-48 cm long.

Habitat:
The grey-backed hawk is found in deciduous and evergreen tropical forests, including dry forests, moist forests and cloud forests, at altitudes of 100-2.900 m.

Diet:
They have a very diversified diet, the largest proportion consisting of reptiles, but also mammals, birds, crabs, amphibians, large insects such as beetles and katydids, and earthworms. The most common prey are snakes and rice rats Oryzomys.

Breeding:
Grey-backed hawks can breed all year round. The nest is a small, well hidden structure, made of fresh and dry sticks and lined with green sprigs and green leaves. It is placed in a tree 14-35 m above the ground. The female lays a single, unmarked, bluish-white egg, which she incubates alone for 36 days while the male brings her food. The chick fledges 10-12 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - EN (Endangered)
This species has a small and highly fragmented breeding range. The global population is estimated at just 250-1.000 individuals and is suspected to be declining at a moderately rapid rate. The main threat to the grey-backed hawk is the extensive habitat destruction and fragmentation throughout its range, with over 90% of west Ecuador now deforested due to clearance for timber and agriculture, and intense grazing pressure from goats and cattle in the forest understorey. Human persecution is also a major threat in some areas.

Common myna

Acridotheres tristis

Photo by Richard Taylor (Wikipedia)

Common name:
common myna (en); mainá-comum (pt); martin triste (fr); miná común (es); hirtenmaina (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Sturnidae

Range:
This species originates from southern Asia, from southern Iran and Afghanistan, through India, Nepal and Bangladesh and into Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. The common myna has been introduced to many areas outside their native range, namely the coasts of the Persian Gulf, Madagascar, South Africa, eastern Australia, northern New Zealand, several Pacific islands, Florida and southern Europe.

Size:
These birds are 23-26 cm long and weigh 110-140 g.

Habitat:
These birds are mostly found in agricultural areas, plantations and pastures, and readily adapt to urban environments. They are also found in mangroves and grasslands, from sea level up to an altitude of 3.000 m.

Diet:
The common myna is omnivorous. They forage on the ground, feeding on insects, especially grasshoppers, and also arachnids, crustaceans, reptiles, small mammals, eggs of other birds, seeds, grain and fruits and discarded waste from human habitation.

Breeding:
Common mynas are monogamous and territorial. They breed in October-March and the nest is an open cup made of dry grass, twigs and leaves which may be placed in a tree hollow, cliff side, building or thick vegetation. The female lays 4-6 pale greenish-blue eggs, which she mostly incubates alone for 13-18 days. The chicks fledge 22-27 days after hatching but continue to receive food from parents for another 3 weeks. Each pair raises 2 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common. The population is suspected to be increasing as ongoing habitat degradation is creating new areas of suitable habitat and it is also expanding its range into new regions where they easily become an invasive species.