From Opus

Photo by Bjorn Svensson.
Photo taken: Costa Rica

Catharus gracilirostris

[edit] Identification

This small species is 13.5 to 16 cm in length and weighs 21 g.

The adult has olive- brown upperparts, a gray crown, paler gray underparts, becoming whitish on the belly, and an olive breast band. Its bill is black.

The juvenile is darker on the head and underparts, has a brown breast band, and the belly is marked with brown.

[edit] Distribution

Costa Rica and western Panama.

[edit] Taxonomy

The Black-billed Nightingale Thrush is a small thrush endemic to the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama. Its position in the genus Catharus is somewhat equivocal, but it is apparently closer to the Hermit Thrush than to the other nightingale-thrushes except the Russet Nightingale Thrush and/or the Ruddy-capped Nightingale Thrush (Winker & Pruett, 2006).
The birds in the Chiriqui mountains of western Panama are slightly more rufous above and paler below than the Costa Rican population, and are sometimes considered as a subspecies, C. g. accentor.

[edit] Habitat

It is found in the undergrowth of wet mountain oak forests and second growth, typically from above 1350 m altitude to patches of scrubbery beyond the timberline.

[edit] Behaviour

Forages low in vegetation or on the forest floor, alone or in pairs, hops and dashes stopping often, turning leaf litter in typical thrush fashion. A rather tame and confiding species.

[edit] Diet

Diet consists of insects, spiders and small fruits.

[edit] Breeding

Two brown eggs, with greeny-blue blotches, are laid in a bulky nest, usually in a small tree.

[edit] Vocalisation

Three flute-like tones followed by a jumbled trill, and the call is a high thin seet.

[edit] References

Wikipedia

[edit] External Links