Bird Guide

Rose-throated Becard vs White-winged Becard

Rose-throated Becard (Pachyramphus aglaiae)

Rose-throated Becard

Pachyramphus aglaiae

Small30 gForest

Rose-throated becards appear large-headed and show a dark gray to black crown or crest. Males tend to be pale gray in drier areas and significantly darker in rainforests, though always remaining countershaded gray. The diagnostic rose-colored throat patch is variable and not present across all populations, with the darkest males in rainforests having none at all. Males also have a hidden white shoulder patch which can be used during courtship, as well as a truncated ninth primary feather, the function of which is unknown.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: datadan · CC BY 4.0
White-winged Becard (Pachyramphus polychopterus)

White-winged Becard

Pachyramphus polychopterus

Small21 gForest

The white-winged becard is 14 to 15.5 cm (5.5 to 6.1 in) long and weighs 19.5 to 21 g (0.69 to 0.74 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies P. p. polychopterus have a glossy black to almost bluish crown and nape. Their face is slate-gray below the crown and the color wraps around the back of their neck. Their back is mostly glossy black to almost bluish with slate-gray uppertail coverts. Their wings are mostly black with wide white edges on the coverts that show as two wing bars. The wing's secondaries and tertials also have wide white edges. Voice: The white-winged becard's song in Costa Rica is described as "a fast series of sweet chew notes, the first followed by a slight pause". In eastern Ecuador it sings "a pretty and melodic series of mellow notes, e.g. teu, teu, tu-tu-tu-tu-tu-tu" and in the west a slower "teu, teu, teu, teu, ti-teu, teu". In Venezuela it sings "a soft, warbled teeur, tur-tur-tur-turtur? a weak tew te tu tu tu".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: JUAN ANTONIO ALONSO DE JUAN · CC BY 4.0
Photo: Marcelo Schmidt Roberti · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

Learn this pair in BeakBrain

Photo and call practice, free in any browser.

Play BeakBrain

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Rose-throated Becard and White-winged Becard.