Bird Guide

Collared Whitestart vs Spectacled Whitestart

Collared Whitestart (Myioborus torquatus)

Collared Whitestart

Myioborus torquatus

Tiny11 gForest

The collared whitestart is around 13 centimetres (5 in) in length with a weight of 10.5 grams (0.4 oz). It has a chestnut crown bordered with black, and a black forehead. The rest of the upper parts are slaty black, and the tail is black with white edges, hence the bird's name: "start" is an old English word for "tail". The face and underparts are bright yellow, with a black band across the breast. The sexes are similar, but young birds are duller, with a browner back, weakly yellow underparts, and the head entirely slate-coloured, with no yellow on the face or red on the crown.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Zygy · CC0
Spectacled Whitestart (Myioborus melanocephalus)

Spectacled Whitestart

Myioborus melanocephalus

Tiny11 gForest

The spectacled whitestart generally weighs between 10 and 13 grams, and is between 13 and 13.5 centimetres (5.1 and 5.3 in) long. The species has a black face and crown, while the nape of the neck and the back are grey. The tail is largely black, but the outermost feathers have some white on them. The underside of the throat, from the throat to the tail, is yellow. The undertail coverts are white. The beak and the legs are black, while the iris is dark. Males and females are indistinguishable. Juveniles have grey on the head and back, and have an underside that is paler yellow.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Spectacled Whitestart
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Napo: Salcedo-Tena road at Río Anatenorio, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Anna Hess · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Collared Whitestart and Spectacled Whitestart.