From Opus

Photo by Jim Crosswell
Location: Costa Rica

Melozone leucotis

[edit] Identification

17.5 cm. Unstreaked olive-brown upperparts, black head, broken white eye ring, white patches in front and behind the eye, green nape, bright yellow sides of the neck, black throat and breast patch, separated by a thin rufous grey line, white underparts, grey flanks, stubby dark-grey bill.

Young birds have yellower underparts, and a duller indistinct head pattern.

[edit] Distribution

Southern Mexico and Guatemala to northern Costa Rica.

[edit] Taxonomy

Three subspecies are recognized:

• M.l. occipitalis
• M.l. nigrior
• M.l. leucotis

[edit] Habitat

Undergrowth, thickets of ravines, forest edge, semi-open woodland including second growth and large gardens.

[edit] Behaviour

The female builds a large bowl nest of stems, twigs and other plant material on the ground, hidden amongst banana plants or similar cover. 2 brown-blotched white eggs are laid, and are incubated by the female for 12-14 days. The male helps in feeding the chicks.

It is a ground feeder and the diet includes seeds, fallen berries, insects and spiders.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.

[edit] External Links