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IVORY-BILLED WOODCREEPER  Xiphorhynchus flavigaster 22.5–25cm.

Fairly large woodcreeper of lowland forest, gallery forest, adjacent plantations,

mangroves. Forages low to high on trunks and larger branches, in bromeliads,

and regular at army ant swarms; sometimes with mixed flocks; often rather

sluggish. Note relatively large size, long stout bill (not strikingly ivory-colored,

often dusky pale pinkish overall, sometimes with mostly dark maxilla), bold

pale droplet-streaks on back, and voice. Cocoa Woodcreeper (limited overlap)

has dark maxilla, reduced back streaking, distinct voice; cf. smaller, finer-billed

Streak-headed Woodcreeper. SOUNDS:  Common call a fairly abrupt slurred

whistle, tcheu! or tchoo. Song an overall descending or overslurred, fairly fast-paced laughing series of clear

whistles, often slowing and slurring slightly at end, mostly 2–6 secs with 8–9 notes/sec; sometimes longer

series, rising and falling. Laughing series at times start hesitantly, other times preceded by a quick whistled

roll or followed by an abrupt, upslurred whee whee-wheep! that is also given separately. STATUS: Uncommon

to fairly common on n. Pacific slope, most numerous 400–900m, scarce in adjacent n. Caribbean

lowlands. (Mexico to nw. Costa Rica.)

COCOA [BUFF-THROATED] WOODCREEPER  Xiphorhynchus susurrans

21.5–23cm. Fairly large woodcreeper of humid forest, adjacent second-growth

woodland, plantations, mangroves, gallery forest. Forages low to high, poking

in crevices and bromeliads; sometimes with mixed feeding flocks; often rather

sluggish. Cf. Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, smaller and finer-billed Streak-headed

Woodcreeper. SOUNDS: Song a steady, slightly laughing series of rich upslurred

whistles, at times rising and falling slightly overall, weet-weet..., mainly 3–6 secs

with 3–5 notes/sec, rarely to 15 secs or longer; slower-paced, less laughing than

Black-striped Woodcreeper song. Calls include a downslurred rolled chirrr,

singly or in short series, may suggest Boat-billed Flycatcher; and a descending, inflected nasal tch’eu.

STATUS: Fairly common to common on both slopes, locally to 1000m; scarce and local in drier nw.

lowlands. (Guatemala to nw. S America.)

*SOUTHERN SPOTTED WOODCREEPER  Xiphorhynchus [erythropygius]

aequatorialis 22–23.5cm. Medium-large woodcreeper of humid foothill forest,

cloud forest. Forages low to high on trunks and larger branches, often at

bromeliads. Distinctive, with pale buff goggles, spotted underparts; fairly stout

straight bill extensively dark above. Cf. Southern Spot-crowned, Ivory-billed,

and Cherrie’s Woodcreepers. SOUNDS: Song a descending, unhurried series of

2–6 drawn-out, melancholy, slightly downslurred whistles, tcheeeeu cheeeeu,

cheeeeu..., about 1/sec, often with a slightly quavering quality at the start of each

note; 1st note often strongest and falls most strongly. Call a short, descending,

strongly rolled whier’r’r’ru with quality similar to start of song notes. STATUS: Fairly common on both

slopes, mainly 500–1700m. (Costa Rica to w. Ecuador.)

*CHERRIE’S [LONG-TAILED] WOODCREEPER  Deconychura [longicauda]

typica 18–20cm. Medium-size, rather slender, long-tailed woodcreeper of humid

foothill forest. Note slender, medium-length bill, variable pale spectacles, spotted

breast, and often a slightly shaggy nape; male appreciably larger and longer-

tailed than female. Often rather quick and active, mainly at low to mid-levels on

trunks and larger branches; joins mixed flocks. SOUNDS: Song a fairly rapid,

ringing or vaguely laughing and overall descending series of piping chips, slightly

hesitant at start and slowing at end, chii-chii..., 10–17 secs. STATUS: Uncommon

to rare on both slopes, mainly 400–1300m; also to near sea level on s. Pacific

slope. (Honduras to n. Colombia.)