Bird Guide

Green-backed Becard vs One-colored Becard

Green-backed Becard (Pachyramphus viridis)

Green-backed Becard

Pachyramphus viridis

Small21 gForest

The green-backed becard is about 14.5 to 16 cm (5.7 to 6.3 in) long; two individuals of the nominate subspecies weighed 18 and 21 g (0.63 and 0.74 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies have a glossy black crown, whitish lores, and a thin yellowish eye-ring. The lower part of their face and their nape are pale gray. Their upperparts are mostly bright olive with dusky olive flight feathers and tail. Their throat is whitish, their breast bright yellow to olive yellow, and the rest of their underparts grayish white with a buffy tinge. Adult females have a similar pattern to males. Voice: The green-backed becard's song is starts abruptly and then is an "ascending and slightly decelerating series of 10-15 dee-dee--- notes or series of ascending jeh-weeé-- (6-20x)". Its usual call is "a fast, thin and nasal q-wink, q-wink that rises in pitch, and may be repeated up to 12 times".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Patricio Cowper Coles · CC BY 4.0
One-colored Becard (Pachyramphus homochrous)

One-colored Becard

Pachyramphus homochrous

Small37 gForest

The one-colored becard is about 16.5 cm (6.5 in) long and weighs about 35 g (1.2 oz). The species is sexually dimorphic. Adult males of the nominate subspecies have a mostly dark slaty gray head and upperparts with a slightly darker crown and lighter rump. Their wings and tail are dark slaty gray with paler edges on the remiges. Their underparts are a somewhat paler gray their upperparts. They sometimes have a faint pinkish wash on the throat and a slight dusky tinge on the breast and upper belly. Adult females have a rufous-chestnut to rufous tawny crown, upperparts, and tail. Voice: The one-colored becard's usual song is "a rather variable, loud, sharp, and sputtering or chattering stet-ee-ee-teet-tsit-tsit-tsitts-tsít or ske-e-et’et’ittt, tseer, tsrip". It also often gives a "squeaky and high-pitched tweíuuw".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the One-colored Becard
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call, calls · Loja: Tambo Negro 10 km E Macará, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Anthony Batista · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Green-backed Becard and One-colored Becard.