Golden-crowned Spadebill
Platyrinchus coronatus
The golden-crowned spadebill is the smallest member of its genus. It is about 8.5 to 9 cm (3.3 to 3.5 in) long and weighs 8 to 9 g (0.28 to 0.32 oz). It has a large head with a bold facial pattern and a stubby tail. The sexes have almost the same plumage. Males of the nominate subspecies have a black crown with a partially hidden orange-rufous patch in the center; females have a purer orange patch. Both sexes have pale buff-yellow as a patch above the lores, as an eye-ring, as a stripe behind the eye, and as a patch on the ear coverts. Voice: The golden-crowned spadebill's song has been described as "a very high-pitched, rapid, hissing trill that undulates slightly...and could easily be mistaken for an insect noise". A similar description is "a weak, insectlike, and high-pitched trill, se'e'e'e'e'e'e'r'r'r'r'e'e'ep...barely audible at any distance and easily overlooked".
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
White-throated Spadebill
Platyrinchus mystaceus
The white-throated spadebill is about 9 to 11 cm (3.5 to 4.3 in) long and weighs 7.5 to 12 g (0.26 to 0.42 oz). It has a large head with a bold facial pattern and a stubby tail. The sexes have almost the same plumage. Males of the nominate subspecies P. m. mystaceus have a dark olive-brown crown with a partially hidden yellow patch in the center; females have much smaller patch or none at all. Both sexes have pale buff-yellow as a patch above the lores, as an eye-ring, as a stripe behind the eye, and as a patch on the ear coverts. Voice: The "western" white-throated spadebills sing "a high, thin, rattling trill, 'pe'e'e'e'e'e'e'e'e'e'e'eet', rising slightly and sometimes preceded by abrupt 'squek' note" and their call is a "short and sharp 'squeep' ". The song and call have also been described respectively as "a rattled trill, ascending at least in east , that increases in volume" and "an abrupt, sharp 'squik!' ".
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where you might meet both
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Golden-crowned Spadebill and White-throated Spadebill.