Species

HBW Alive provides full accounts for every bird species known to science up to June 2013, including distribution maps and color illustrations. Explore these sample species to better understand the monumental work that lies behind these pages.

Come back often! The sample species are being rotated every month.

Central American Pygmy-owl (Glaucidium griseiceps)

Taxonomy:

Glaucidium griseiceps

 Sharpe, 1875, tropical lowlands of Alta Vera Paz, Guatemala.

Considered a member of G. minutissimum complex, which includes also G. palmarum, G. sanchezi, G. parkeri and G....

Descriptive notes: 13–18 cm; male 50·6–58·8 g, female c. 56 g. Very small pygmy-owl; crown and nape brown-grey to grey-brown; forecrown with fine pale buff to whitish spots (can extend back to nape); nape with dark “...
figure, drawing, illustration of Central American Pygmy-owl (Glaucidium griseiceps)
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Zapata Rail (Cyanolimnas cerverai)

Taxonomy:

Cyanolimnas cerverai

 Barbour and J. L. Peters, 1927, Santo Tomás, Península de Zapata, Cuba.

Monotypic.

Descriptive notes: 29 cm. Apparently almost flightless; wings very short; tail short and decomposed. Dark rail without streaks or spots, faintly barred on lower belly and thighs and has white undertail-coverts. Sexes alike. Easily separable by plumage...
figure, drawing, illustration of Zapata Rail (Cyanolimnas cerverai)
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Eastern Hooded Pitta (Pitta novaeguineae)

Taxonomy:

Pitta novae-guineae

 S. Müller and Schlegel, 1845, Manokwari, north-west New Guinea.

Hitherto considered conspecific with P. sordida and P. rosenbergii, but differs from P. rosenbergii in characters given under...

Descriptive notes: 16–19 cm; 40–82 g (nominate), 67·5– 71·5 g (race mefoorana). Adult has black hood and generally green body and upperparts, with a brilliant turquoise-blue shoulder patch and throatband at base of hood, as well as a narrow glittering blue...
figure, drawing, illustration of Eastern Hooded Pitta (Pitta novaeguineae)
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Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis)

Taxonomy:

Scolopax madagascariensis

 Linnaeus, 1766, Madagascar; error = Macassar, Sulawesi.

Monotypic.

Descriptive notes: 53–66 cm; 390–1350 g, male averaging 110 g lighter than female; wingspan 97–110 cm. Largest curlew with very long, heavy bill; female has longest bill of any wader (184 mm). Plain head pattern; upperparts have dark...
figure, drawing, illustration of Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis)
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Black-and-chestnut Eagle (Spizaetus isidori)

Taxonomy:

Falco Isidori

 Des Murs, 1845, Bogotá, Colombia.

Previously placed in monotypic genus Oroaetus, but recent phylogenetic study found this species to be nested among the New World Spizaetus...

Descriptive notes: 60–80 cm, wingspan 144–166 cm. Large, stocky eagle with relatively short tail but long wings. Head, crest, neck and upperparts black, below chestnut streaked with black; thighs black, feathered tarsi chestnut; tail...
figure, drawing, illustration of Black-and-chestnut Eagle (Spizaetus isidori)
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Each bird species in HBW Alive has sections for Taxonomy, Subspecies, Distribution, Descriptive notes, Habitat, Food and Feeding, Breeding, Movements, Status and Conservation and Bibliography, as well as a distribution map and color illustrations.