White-throated Spadebill

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!' ".