Greater Scythebill (Drymotoxeres pucheranii)

Identification & Behavior: ~28 cm (11 in). The Greater Scythebill has rufous upperparts and rufous-brown underparts. The head, neck, and underparts are faintly streaked with buff. The bill is long, whitish, and heavily decurved. It has dark brown ear patch bordered below and above by a pale stripe. It forages in the midstory and sub-canopy of humid montane forest alone or in the company of mixed species flocks. It is similar to the Brown-billed Scythebill but is distinguished by larger size, whitish bill, and by the head pattern.               

Status: The Greater Scythebill is rare and poorly known in montane forests of the east slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 2100-3200 m. It also occurs in Co and Ec.

Name in Spanish: Pico Guadaña Grande.

Sub-species: Greater Scythebill (Drymotoxeres pucheranii), (Des Murs), 1849.

Meaning of Name: Drymotoxeres: Gr. Drumos= woodland and toxon, toxeres= bow, furnished with the bow. pucheranii: In honor of Jacques Pucheran (1817-1894) French zoologist, explorer.

See more of the Family Furnariidae