Rufous-tailed Plant-Cutter

Rara

Phytotoma rara

Length: 205mm. Sexes unlike. Male: bill brown with mandible pale grey; iris orange; forehead and crown rufous chestnut; hind neck and above reddish brown with fine grey margins and centre of feathers dark brown forming broad and abundant streaks; lower back and uppertail coverts grey with thin dark brown streaking; central rectrices brown; remainder rufous chestnut at base and a very broad blackish terminal band. Supercilium white framing auriculars up to half their extension; auriculars blackish with white transversal markings; throat, foreneck, breast, belly and undertail coverts deep rufous; sides of breast with blackish streaking; flanks grey stained rufous and blackish striation. Wing coverts black, median coverts show a broad whitish outermost margin forming bands; greater coverts black with outermost edge whitish and white to tip; remiges black with white margined tertiaries and white in outer vexillum of primaries. Legs grey. Average weight: 60g. Female: bill as in male; iris orange; upper part of head, hind neck and above mostly buffy brown profusely streaked dark brown; supercilium buff; malar region and auriculars buffy cream with blackish mottling; throat, foreneck, breast, flanks and belly buffy cream with dark brown streaks that are thinner and sparser on belly than on breast; undertail coverts rufous with blackish streaks; rectrices as in male but slightly paler; wings as in male but more greyish brown. Legs as in male. The male juveniles resemble the females and both sexes have brown irides. Habitat and behaviour: it frequents scrubby country, fringes of open woods and forests; it may be observed standing at the top of trees and shrubs; it is found in pairs or average-size groups; its call clearly resembles that of a lamb’s; it is wary and upon danger it hides in the thickest vegetation.