[order] Passeriformes | [family] Thraupidae | [latin] Cyanerpes caruleus | [IT] Cianerpe purpurea | [UK] Purple Honeycreeper | [FR] Guit-guit ceruleen | [DE] Purpurnaschvogel | [ES] Copeicillo Violaceo | [NL] Purpersuikervogel | [SU]Geelpoot suikervogel

Subspecies

Physical charateristics

It has a long, slender, decurved black bill. The male is purplish blue with bright yellow legs. The lores, throat, wings and tail are black. The female is very different being mostly green above with buff round the eyes, a yellow throat with pale blue malar and pale yellow stripes on green underparts.

Listen to the sound of Purple Honeycreeper

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

Range

The Purple Honeycreeper is distributed throughout most of the Amazon and Orinoco Basins as well as the Guianas, Trinidad and the Pacific coast of Colombia and Ecuador.

Habitat

This is a forest canopy species, but also occurs in cocoa and citrus plantations. At the upper limit of its altitudinal range, it frequents premontane rainforest, usually rather low-growing

Reproduction

The female Purple Honeycreeper builds a small cup nest in a tree, and incubates the clutch of two brown-blotched white eggs.

Feeding habits

They are often in large groups and/or mixed tanager flocks. They have a wide diet including insects and nectar as well as fruit.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 6,700,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but it is believed to be large as the species is described as ‘common’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migration

Sedentary throughout range

Distribution map

[order] Passeriformes | [family] Thraupidae | [latin] Euphonia chlorotica | [IT] Eufonia golapurpurea | [UK] Purple-throated Euphonia | [FR] Organiste chlorotique | [DE] Purpurkehlorganist | [ES] Fruterito Azuquero | [NL] Purperkeelorganist | [SU]Parwablauwdas

Subspecies

Physical charateristics

The male is blue-black above with a deep purple head and throat. The forecrown and underparts are bright yellow. The female is olive above and whitish below with yellow on the forecrown and flanks.

Listen to the sound of Purple-throated Euphonia

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

Range

It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The Purple-throated Euphonia is found east of the Andes from Colombia and Venezuela to northern Argentina but is largely lacking from the Amazon Basin except along the river Amazon.

Habitat

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest. This bird lives in pairs or in small groups in forests, clearings, caatingas and fields with trees. They inhabit forest borders, caatinga and chaco scrub and gallery woodland. It is more likely to be found in drier habitats than the Violaceous Euphonia Euphonia violacea.

Reproduction

No data.

Feeding habits

Mostly or even solely fruit. Forages in undersurface of tree crown, high up toward center. Most commonly feeds by taking small bites of fruits that remain attached to tree. Occasionally plucks a fruit and removes pulp by pushing fruit against a horizontal branch. Birds are very selective, examining many fruits before feeding. Usually take only a few bites from a fruit before moving to the next.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 9,200,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but it is believed to be large as the species is described as ‘common’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migration

Sedentary throughout range

Distribution map

[order] Passeriformes | [family] Cotingidae | [latin] Querula purpurata | [IT] Cotinga golapurpurea | [UK] Purple-throated Fruitcrow | [FR] Coracine noire | [DE] Purpurbrustkotinga | [ES] Cotinga Querula | [NL] Purperkeel-vruchtenkraai | [SU]-

Subspecies

Physical charateristics

It is a stout medium sized glossy-black bird. Males have a large purple-red upper throat patch, (similar to the gorget of the hummingbirds), extending to the side of the neck. It has a short wide pointed grayish bill, black eyes, and gray legs.

Listen to the sound of Purple-throated Fruitcrow

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

Range

It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela; also in southern Central America in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.

Habitat

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

Reproduction

Lives in small groups during breeding season, all individuals wuill tend to the one nest. Nest is an untidy cup of small twigs, lined with even smaller twigs. Clutch size is one egg incubated for about 25 days. Young are fed by several group members and fledge after about one month.

Feeding habits

Forages in small groups for fruit, by looking for a strong branch and plucking; insects are taken by perching and short sallies to glean prey from foliage.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 5,700,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but it is believed to be large as the species is described as ‘frequent’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migration

Sedentary throughout range with some local movement.

Distribution map

[order] Passeriformes | [family] Cotingidae | [latin] Cotinga cotinga | [IT] Cotinga pettopurpureo | [UK] Purple-breasted Cotinga | [FR] Cotinga de Daubenton | [DE] Purpurlatzkotinga | [ES] Cotinga Pechimorado | [NL] Purperborstcotinga | [SU]-

Physical charateristics

The male is a deeper blue than the Spangled Cotinga (Cotinga cayana) and its purple extends much lower down. The female is dark brown above and light brown below with buffy white edges to the feathers giving an overall scaled appearance.

Range

It is found in Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela

Habitat

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It seems to have a preference for being close to sandy-belt forest or savannah forest.

Reproduction

No data.

Feeding habits

It feeds almost exclusively on large fruits and is usually seen in the early morning perched high near fruiting trees.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 1,900,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population size criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., less than 10,000 mature individuals in conjunction with appropriate decline rates and subpopulation qualifiers), even though the species is described as ‘uncommon’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migration

Sedentary throughout range.

Distribution map

[order] Passeriformes | [family] Parulidae | [latin] Protonotaria citrea | [IT] Protonotaria citrina | [UK] Prothonotary Warbler | [FR] Paruline orangee | [DE] Zitronenwaldsanger | [ES] Chipe Anaranjado | [NL] Citroenzanger | [SU]-

Subspecies

Physical charateristics

Size and structure, large, full-bodied, long-billed, make the Prothonotary Warbler an unlikely candidate for confusion with other warbler species. It is also distinctive in plumage, with bright-yellow head and breast, greenish-yellow back, and bluish wings. When spread, the bluish upperside of the tail shows large white spots. The underside of the tail is mostly white, extending onto the undertail coverts. The Blue-winged Warbler is somewhat similar in coloration but has a dark line through the eye and prominent white wingbars, in addition to being considerably smaller and more slender.

Listen to the sound of Prothonotary Warbler

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

Range

Prothonotary Warblers can be found nesting across much of the eastern United States, ranging from Florida and eastern Texas north to Wisconsin, western New York, and northern New Jersey. Their breeding stronghold, however, is in the lowlands of the southeastern United States

Habitat

Found in flooded deciduous forests of the eastern U.S. during the summer breeding months, especially around black willow, sweetgum, river birch, ash, and near cypress swamps. They can also be found along forested lakeshores or riparian areas near still or very slowly moving water. They winter in lowland forests and swamps in the tropics.

Reproduction

Prothonotary Warblers breed in wooded swamps, flooded bottomland forests, and along slow-moving rivers. As the only eastern wood warblers that nest in cavities, the birds often use old Downy Woodpecker nests in dead snags. They will also utilize nest boxes for nesting, which begins in April. The female builds the nest, using mostly mosses and liverworts. The female then incubates a typical clutch of four to six eggs for 12 to 14 days. Young birds leave the nest after about 11 days at which time it has been claimed that they can swim if necessary. In the southern part of their breeding range, Prothonotary Warblers will nest twice in one season.

Feeding habits

Usually forages fairly low in vegetation, very often above water. Will also hop along floating vegetation and logs, poking in crevices for food items. Primarily feeds on insects, especially aquatic insects. Will also feed on spiders, seeds, and snails.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 2,200,000 km2. It has a large global population estimated to be 1,800,000 individuals (Rich et al. 2003). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migration

It breeds in hardwood swamps in southern Canada and the eastern United States and winters in the West Indies, Central America and northern South America.

Distribution map

Literature

Title PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS CROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO TOGETHER

Author(s): FRANK R. MOORE

Abstract: Field observations of “marked” Prothonotary W arbl..[more]..

Source: Field Ornithol., 61(3):285-287

Title Prothonotary Warbler Nest Success and Vegetation
Characteristics in a Fragmented Oklahoma Landscape

Author(s): Douglas R. Wood

Abstract: In 2003, I studied the relationship between protho..[more]..

Source: Proc. Okla. Acad. Sci. 84: pp 27-31 (2004)

Title Retaliatory mafia behavior by a parasitic cowbird
favors host acceptance of parasitic eggs

Author(s): Jeffrey P. Hoover and Scott K. Robinson

Abstract: Why do many hosts accept costly avian brood parasi..[more]..

Source: PNAS Early Edition, 2003

[order] Passeriformes | [family] Cotingidae | [latin] Xipholena punicea | [IT] Cotinga vinacea | [UK] Pompadour Cotinga | [FR] Cotinga pompadour | [DE] Amazonien-Pompadourkotinga | [ES] Cotinga Pompadour | [NL] Pompadourcotinga | [SU]-

Physical charateristics

The male has a deep claret-purple colour, darker on the head. The wings are mainly white and the purple scapulars extend over the white wings to form a deep fringe. The iris is pale yellow. The female has a fairly uniform grey plumage with white edging to the wing feathers.

Listen to the sound of Pompadour Cotinga

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

Range

It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.

Habitat

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is found in the canopy of humid forest and seems to be more numerous in areas of sandy soil forest.

Reproduction

It gathers in small groups in fruit trees and for mating ceremonies during the mating season. It builds a fragile, open-air nest and lays only one egg at a time.

Feeding habits

Females sometimes join mixed canopy flocks but males appear to be more solitary.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 3,600,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but it is believed to be large as the species is described as ‘frequent’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migration

Sedentary throughout range, but wanders in search of fruit.

Distribution map

[order] Passeriformes | [family] Furnariidae | [latin] Berlepschia rikeri | [IT] Rampichino delle palme | [UK] Point-tailed Palmcreeper | [FR] Anabate des palmiers | [DE] Palmsteiger | [ES] Palmero | [NL] Palmkruiper | [SU]-

Subspecies

Physical charateristics

Back, wings and tail area a bright chestnut brown contrasting with the black with white streaks of its head, neck and underparts.

Listen to the sound of Point-tailed Palmcreeper

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

Range

Found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela and the Guianas. In Suriname only very few records in or at the edge of the interior.

Habitat

Palm forests and swamps, almost always found on Mauritia palms in subtropical or tropical forests.

Reproduction

Presumed monogamous, but hardly any data.

Feeding habits

Forages from mid-level to canopy in palm trees, gleaning anthropods acrobatilly from the foliage.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 5,200,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population size criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., less than 10,000 mature individuals in conjunction with appropriate decline rates and subpopulation qualifiers), even though the species is described as ‘uncommon’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migration

Sedentary throughout range.

Distribution map

[order] Gruiformes | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Porphyrio martinica | [IT] Pollo sultano della Martinica | [UK] Purple Gallinule | [FR] Taleve violacee | [DE] Zwergsultanshuhn | [ES] Calamoncillo Americano | [NL] Amerikaans Purperhoen | [SU]Blawkepanki

Physical charateristics

Purple Gallinule adult is a medium-sized bird, with stunning purple-blue plumage. Upperparts are glossy green, with upper wings glossy turquoise-blue. Underparts are glossy bluish-violet. White undertail coverts are triangle-shaped and conspicuous in all ages. Vent and thighs are blackish.
Head is purplish-blue, with pale blue forehead shield. Bill is red with yellow tip. Eyes are red. Legs and huge feet are orange-yellow.
Both sexes are similar. Juvenile is different. It has buff face, neck sides, breast and flanks. Throat and belly are whitish. Crown, hind neck and upperparts are brown, with olive green sheen on body, and greenish turquoise sheen on upper wings. It will reach its adult plumage through first winter, and full adult eye colour, face and neck coloration at about two years. It has brownish eyes. Its bill is duller than adults. Shield is smaller and greyer. Legs and feet are olive-yellow.
Chicks are buffy brown, with brown olive back and greenish wings. Bill is dark olive. Legs and feet are dull olive.

Listen to the sound of Purple Gallinule

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

Range

Gallinule: Found in the south Atlantic and Gulf states, and casually as far northward as Maine, New York, Wisconsin, and south throughout the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America to Brazil. In Suriname this species is numerous and in some districts even consiedered a pest. Numbers are declining.

Habitat

Marshes and borders of ponds, lakes, lagoons, and rivers where floating and tall dense waterside vegetation grows; rice fields; usually avoids open water but may use low perch near water. Nests on ground in tall marsh herbage, among plants growing in water, or on branches of shrubs at water level.

Reproduction

Purple Gallinule breeds in May-August period in North America, but in South America, it may extend from March to November.
Birds are monogamous. During breeding season, the species is highly territorial. They breed in marshy areas, but also in rice fields.
Purple Gallinule’s nest is a floating structure. It is a bulky cup-shaped nest in marshy vegetation. Nest is built by both adults, with available floating plants, such as water hyacinth, cattails or wild rice. It may sizes up to 28 cm in width, and about 9 cm in depth. A kind of roof is built for protection, and also a ramp leading to the nest.
Female lays 2 to 6 creamy to pale buff eggs, flecked with rusty brown and grey. Incubation lasts about 18 to 20 days, shared by both adults. Chicks are fed by both parents during one week, and are able to feed themselves after these seven days.
They are completely independent for food at 21 days old. They are able to fly when they are 5 to 7 weeks old. Young use tiny claws on their wing tips to crawl on bushes and out of the nest.

Feeding habits

Purple Gallinule is omnivorous. It feeds on wide variety of vegetable and animal matters.
It feeds on seeds, leafs and fruits, but it also consumes insects (grasshoppers, beetles, water bugs, bees and wasps), frogs, snails, spiders, earthworms and fish. It may eat the eggs and nestlings of herons and jacanas.

Video Purple Gallinule

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t27wpjkSqsY

copyright: Pieter de Groot Boersma

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 5,300,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population size criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., less than 10,000 mature individuals in conjunction with appropriate decline rates and subpopulation qualifiers), even though the species is described as ‘uncommon’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migration

It is highly migratory, and it winters from southern Florida to Argentina. South American birds are not usually migratory.

Distribution map

[order] Passeriformes | [family] Thraupidae | [latin] Euphonia plumbea | [IT] Eufonia plumbea | [UK] Plumbeous Euphonia | [FR] Organiste plombe | [DE] Grauorganist | [ES] Fruterito Plomizo | [NL] Grijze Organist | [SU]Savanneblauwdas

Physical charateristics

Upperparts incuding head, throat and chest blue-gray. Center of breast yellow, sides of fore body mottled blue gray. The female has a gray head, remining upperparts dark olive and thraot and chest pale gray. Lower underparts olive yellow, becoming more bright towards belly and breast.

Listen to the sound of Plumbeous Euphonia

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

Range

It is found in Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.

Habitat

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest. Prefers scrubby open woodland and savanna. Also savanna bordrs and edges of outcrops

Reproduction

No data.

Feeding habits

Usually forages in pairs for fruit in scattered trees.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 810,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population size criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. less than 10,000 mature individuals in conjunction with appropriate decline rates and subpopulation qualifiers), even though the species is described as ‘uncommon’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migration

Sedentary throughout range

Distribution map

[order] Passeriformes | [family] Emberizidae | [latin] Sporophila plumbea | [IT] Beccasemi plumbeo | [UK] Plumbeous Seedeater | [FR] Sporophile gris-de-plomb | [DE] Graupfaffchen | [ES] Espiguero Patativa | [NL] Loodgrijs Dikbekje | [SU]Sabanamustas

Subspecies

Physical charateristics

The male Plumbeous Seedeater shows a dark bill, white chin and black wing and tail feathers with grey edging. It also has white underparts and a white spot under the eye can usually be seen. It is the only mainly grey seedeater with a dark bill. The female has light brown upperparts and is paler below becoming almost white on the belly. The wings have a dark edge to the buffy-brown.

Listen to the sound of Plumbeous Seedeater

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

Range

It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.

Habitat

Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland. It has one of the most melodious songs, which makes it very well-liked among bird breeders. It sometimes imitates other birds, such as the Great Kiskadee

Reproduction

No data

Feeding habits

Mainly grass seeds

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 4,800,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population size criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., less than 10,000 mature individuals in conjunction with appropriate decline rates and subpopulation qualifiers), even though the species is described as ‘uncommon’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migration

Sedentary throughout most of range, but during the winter, northern populations generally migrates to more southern regions (such as Santa Catarina), apparently due to a scarcity of food.

Distribution map