Orange-eyed Thornbird vs Streak-fronted Thornbird

Orange-eyed Thornbird

Phacellodomus erythrophthalmus

Small25 gWetland

The orange-eyed thornbird is 16 to 18 cm (6.3 to 7.1 in) long and weighs about 21 to 27 g (0.74 to 0.95 oz). It is a medium-sized thornbird. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have an indistinct rufous-brown supercilium, darker brown lores, and a darker brown stripe behind the eye on an otherwise rufescent-brownish face. Their forehead and forecrown are bright rufous. The rest of their crown, their back, and their rump are dark brownish olive, and their uppertail coverts a chestnut-tinged brownish olive. Voice: The orange-eyed thornbird's song is a "slow, descending series of up to 15 sharp, ringing tones". It has also been described as "a series of introductory notes on same pitch followed by descending series of loud notes, 'chree, chree, chree-tsrééeh-tsrééeh-tsrééeh' ". It is usually sung from a perch and sometimes as a duet by a pair.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Nicolas Olejnik · CC BY 4.0

Streak-fronted Thornbird

Phacellodomus striaticeps

Small29 gShrubland

The streak-fronted thornbird is 16 to 17 cm (6.3 to 6.7 in) long and weighs about 23 to 29 g (0.81 to 1.0 oz). It is a rather small and slim thornbird. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have an indistinct gray-buff supercilium, blackish lores with some gray-buff, and a dark brown stripe behind the eye on an otherwise rufous-washed brownish face. Their forehead ("front") is a mix of blackish and reddish with brown streaks. Their crown is paler, browner, and unstreaked. Their upperparts are mostly rich dark brown with a slightly paler rump. Voice: The streak-fronted thornbird's song is "wip wip weep weep WEEEP weep weep weep wip wip, rising and falling in volume and pitch", and further described as "piercing, loud, and almost hysterical". Its calls are "an irregular series of squeaky 'jit' or 'tsip' notes also a loud trill".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Orange-eyed Thornbird and Streak-fronted Thornbird.