Pheasant pigeon

Otidiphaps nobilis

Photo by Greg Hume (Wikipedia)

Common name:
pheasant pigeon (en); pombo-faisão (pt); otidiphaps noble (fr); paloma faisán (es); fasanentaube (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Columbiformes
Family Columbidae

Range:
This species is endemic to the island of New Guinea, both in Indonesia and Papua-New Guinea, including several nearby islands.

Size:
These birds are 45-50 cm long and weigh 500 g.

Habitat:
The pheasant pigeon is only found in primary rainforests, from sea level up to an altitude of 1.900 m.

Diet:
They forage on the forest floor, taking seeds and fallen fruits.

Breeding:
Pheasant pigeons breed on the ground, beneath a tree or scrub. The female lays a single egg which is incubated for 28-35 days. The chicks fledge 28-30 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and, although the global population size has not been quantified, it is described as often fairly common in hilly areas, but locally scarce. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Veery

Catharus fuscescens

Photo by Guy Poisson (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
veery (en); sabiá-norte-americano (pt); grive fauve (fr); zorzalito rojizo (es); Wilson-drossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species breeds in southern Canada and in the United States as far south as Idaho, Colorado, Michigan and Tennessee. They migrate south to winter in central Brazil from Pará to Mato Grosso.

Size:
These birds are 16-19,5 cm long and have a wingspan of 28-29 cm. They weigh 26-54 g.

Habitat:
The veery breeds in damp, deciduous forests and riparian habitats, also using second growths with dense undergrowth. They favour hemlocks, willows and alders. Outside the breeding season they use dry savannas and moist tropical forests. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.500 m.

Diet:
During the breeding season they hunt insects and other invertebrates, such as beetles, caterpillars, spiders, centipedes, snails, pill bugs, ants, wasps, and tupulid flies. During the rest of the year they mostly eat fruits and berries.

Breeding:
These birds breed in April-August. The nest is built by the female, consisting of an open cup made of dead leaves, grapevine bark, weed stems, and wet, mud-like leaf mold, lined with fine rootlets and fibres. It is usually placed on the ground, near the base of a scrub, or in the vegetation up to 1 m above the ground. The female lays 3-5 pale blue or greenish eggs, only rarely spotted brown, which she incubates alone for 10-14 days. The chicks are raised by both parents and fledge 10-12 days after hatching, becoming fully independent about 2 weeks later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and a global population estimated at 14 million individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to increased parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds Molothrus ater, together with ongoing habitat destruction and degradation in its wintering range.

Forest wagtail

Dendronanthus indicus

Photo by P. Supat (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
forest wagtail (en); alvéola-dos-bosques (pt); bergeronnette de forêt (fr); lavandera forestal (es); baumstelze (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Motacillidae

Range:
This species breeds from extreme south-eastern Russia and northern Japan, through Korea and north-eastern China and into south-eastern China. They migrate south to winter in southern China, Indochina, Indonesia and south-western India.

Size:
These birds are 16-18 cm long and weigh 16-17 g.

Habitat:
The forests wagtail is almost exclusively found in forested habitats, including both evergreen and deciduous forests in both temperate and tropical areas. In some areas they favour oak Quercus sp. dominated forests. They also use second growths, mangroves, coffee plantations, arable land and urban areas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.800 m.

Diet:
They forage mostly on the ground, taking small invertebrates such as ants, beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, snails and worms.

Breeding:
Forest wagtails breed in April-July. The female builds the nest alone, consisting of a compact cup made of twigs, leaves, fine grass and rootlets, held together with moss and spider webs and lined with hair, wool, fur and moss. It is placed on an horizontal tree branch, near the trunk, usually 4-5 m above the ground. The female lays 4-5 whitish eggs with brown spots, which she incubates alone for 13-15 days while the male provides her food. The chicks are fed by both parent and fledge 10-12 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.

Australian brush-turkey

Alectura lathami

Photo by J.J. Harrison (Wikipedia)

Common name:
Australian brush-turkey (en); perú-do-mato-australiano (pt); talégalle de Latham (fr); talégalo cabecirrojo (es); buschhuhn (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Galliformes
Family Megapodiidae

Range:
This species is endemic to eastern Australia, being found from Cape York Peninsula to eastern New South Wales.

Size:
These birds are 60-75 cm long and have a wingspan of 85 cm. They weigh 2-2,5 kg.

Habitat:
They are mostly found in rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests, but also use dry savannas and scrublands, and occasionally even rural and urban areas.

Diet:
They forge mainly on the ground, taking insects, seeds and fallen fruits, but can also take ripe fruits from tree branches.

Breeding:
Australian brush-turkeys are polygynous. Each male builds a large mound of organic matter up to 4 m in diameter and 1 m high, where several females will lay up to 50 eggs. The eggs are incubated by the heat given off by the rotting vegetation of the mound, while the male maintains a constant temperature of 33-38°C by digging holes in the mound and inserting his bill to check the heat, then adding and removing vegetable matter as required. The chicks hatch after about 50 days and are immediately independent, remarkably being able to fly within hours of hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as common and widespread. The population is declining owing to habitat destruction and fragmentation, but the Australian brush-turkey is not considered threatened.

Torrent tyrannulet

Serpophaga cinerea

Photo by Peter Franze (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
torrent tyrannulet (en); alegrinho-das-torrentes (pt); tyranneau des torrents (fr); piojito guardarríos (es); sturzbach-kleintyrann (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Tyrannidae

Range:
This species is found in Costa Rica and western Panama, and along the Andes mountain chain from western Venezuela to central Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 9,5-11,5 cm long and weigh 8 g.

Habitat:
The torrent tyrannulet is almost exclusively found along mountain rivers and streams, preferring fast-flowing watercourses along tropical forests. They are also known to use marshes, swamp forests and river banks in lowland areas. This species is present at altitudes of 250-3.700 m.

Diet:
They are insectivorous, taking flying insects such as dragonflies, moths, mayflies and caddisflies.

Breeding:
Torrent flycatchers are predominantly monogamous and breed in January-October, varying between different parts of their range. The nest is a sturdy cup made of rootlets, fine fibres and moss, and lined with down feathers. It is placed among vegetation overhanging a stream, 0,5-4 m above the water. The female lays 2 buffy white, unmarked eggs, which she incubates alone for 17-18 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 17 days after hatching, but only become fully independent 5-6 weeks later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The torrent flycatcher is negatively affected by the siltation of watercourses in some areas.

Cape grass-warbler

Sphenoeacus afer

Photo by Carmelo López (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
Cape grass-warbler (en); felosa-do-Cabo (pt); sphénoèque du Cap (fr); yerbera de El Cabo (es); Kapgrassänger (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Sylviidae

Range:
This species is found in southern eastern and north-eastern South Africa and also along the border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

Size:
These birds are 17-19 cm long and weigh 30 g.

Habitat:
The Cape grass-warbler is mostly found in high-altitude grasslands, but also uses fynbos scrublands and the edges of mountain forests.

Diet:
They forage mostly on the ground beneath vegetation, taking insects such as beetles, grasshoppers and caterpillars.

Breeding:
Cape grass-warblers breed in July-April, varying between different parts of their range. The nest is built by the female, consisting of a bowl made of twigs, grass blades and leaves, and lined with finer plant material. It is typically concealed near the ground in a tussock of grass or in some tangled vegetation. The female lays 2-3 eggs, which she incubates alone for 14-8 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 14-16 days after hatching.

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

Sword-billed hummingbird

Ensifera ensifera

Photo by Larry Thompson (Discover Life)

Common name:
sword-billed hummingbird (en); beija-flor-bico-de-espada (pt); colibri porte-épée (fr); colibrí picoespada (es); schwertschnabelkolibri (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Apodiformes
Family Trochilidae

Range:
This species is found along the Andes mountain range, from western Venezuela to central Bolivia.

Size:
These large hummingbirds are 17-23 cm long, including the 9-11 cm long bill. They weigh 10-15 g.

Habitat:
The sword-billed hummingbird is mostly found in mountain rainforests, but also uses high-altitude grasslands and scrublands, and rural gardens. They are present at altitudes of 1.700-3.600 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on nectar of flowers with long pendent corollas, namely Datura sp. and Passiflora sp., but also take small insects and spiders.

Breeding:
Sword-billed hummingbirds are polygynous, with males mating with multiple females and having no further part in the breeding process. The female build a cup-shaped nest made of woven plant fibres, green moss and spider webs, lined with hairs, feather down and fine fibres. It is placed on a thin, horizontal branch in a tree or scrub, or in bromeliad, usually quite far from the ground. There she lays 2 white eggs, which she incubates alone. There is no information regarding the length of the incubation period. The chicks are raised by the female and fledge 7-10 day after hatching.

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