Bird Guide

Narrow-billed Woodcreeper vs Wedge-billed Woodcreeper

Narrow-billed Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes angustirostris)

Narrow-billed Woodcreeper

Lepidocolaptes angustirostris

Small30 gWoodland

The narrow-billed woodcreeper is 18 to 22 cm (7.1 to 8.7 in) long; males weigh 23 to 37.5 g (0.81 to 1.3 oz) and females 21.5 to 33.5 g (0.76 to 1.2 oz). It is a slim, medium-sized woodcreeper with a long, slim, moderately decurved bill. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies L. a. angustirostris have pale lores, a buffy white supercilium that widens to the rear and becomes a line of broken spots, and a black stripe behind the eye. Their crown and nape are blackish brown with whitish buff streaks. Voice: The narrow-billed woodcreeper's song is "a loud series 3–5 seconds long of 4–8 sharp descending notes that may be either clear whistles 'peer, peer, peer, peeer, peeeer, pweeeer', rolling and somewhat slurred repetitions of 'drewEEew', or clear notes that gradually accelerate, fade and descend, 'peeé, pee-pee-pee-pee-peepeepeepeepupupu'.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Rodrigo Jesus Melo · CC BY 2.0
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper (Glyphorynchus spirurus)

Wedge-billed Woodcreeper

Glyphorynchus spirurus

Tiny15 gForest

The wedge-billed woodcreeper is the smallest woodcreeper, with a short, upturned, wedge-shaped bill resembling those of the three members of genus Xenops. It is 13 to 16 cm (5.1 to 6.3 in) long and weighs 10.5 to 21 g (0.37 to 0.74 oz). The sexes are alike. The nominate subspecies G. s. spirurus has a grayish forehead, a rich brown to russet-brown crown and nape, light buff lores, a thin buff to buff-white supercilium, a buff eyering, sooty-brown auriculars, and a brown malar stripe. Voice: The wedge-billed woodcreeper sings mostly at dusk and dawn, though occasionally during the day as well. The subspecies in the pectoralis group of Central America into Colombia sing "a rapidly ascending, accelerating and somewhat slurred series of c. 25 bubbly notes...'twee-lee-lee-le-le-ee-ee-eeeeeé' ". It is also described as "weet-weet-WEEET-WEEET-weet-peet-peeet't't't't't't'teu".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Niels Krabbe · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: datadan · 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: Narrow-billed Woodcreeper and Wedge-billed Woodcreeper.