A leading team of ornithologists is constantly revising Birds of the World species accounts. “Account Revisions” is a regular blog feature that features these updated accounts.
Full Revision
Kristine Johnson and Russell P. Balda
Version: 2.0 — Published March 19, 2020
The Pinyon Jay is a highly social, cooperatively breeding bird of the foothills and lower mountain slopes of the western United States and northern Baja California, Mexico. Although omnivorous, it is committed to the harvest, transport, caching, and later retrieval of pine seeds, aided by a relatively long, strong bill; an expandable esophagus; and long, strong wings. Individuals have excellent spatial memories that allow them uncanny recovery accuracy when digging up their hidden food stores months after caching, even through snow. Read more about Pinyon Jay.
Partial Revision
Guy M. Kirwan, Josep del Hoyo, Nigel Collar, David Christie, and Chris Sharpe
Version: 1.1 — Published March 19, 2020
The Bare-faced Curassow is distributed from eastern Amazonia south through central Brazil into Paraguay and northern Argentina. It forages on the ground in forest and forest edge, where it can be fairly common. It is easiest to detect in early morning and late evening, when individuals or pairs wander into clearings or deliver their deep, booming songs. Read more about Bare-faced Curassow.
Partial Revision
Alvaro Jaramillo, Josep del Hoyo, Nigel Collar, and Guy M. Kirwan
Version: 1.1 — Published March 26, 2020
No more tricolored than various other members of the genus, this one ended up with the name. In fact, with yellow underparts, black on the face face and sides of the head, a tawny crown stripe, and an olive back, why the vernacular name has persisted remains a mystery. In general color and pattern the Tricolored Brushfinch resembles both the Pale-naped and Yellow-breasted brushfinches; however, the Tricolored has an entirely tawny to yellow, not rufous, crown stripe which does not turn whitish on the nape. Tricolored Brushfinch is found in the Andes from Colombia to northern Peru. Read more about Tricolored Brushfinch.
Partial Revision
Alvaro Jaramillo, Josep del Hoyo, Nigel Collar, and Guy M. Kirwan
Version: 1.1 — Published March 26, 2020
White-winged Brushfinch is a species of shrubby hillsides, in some places occupying very dry habitats, including brush interspersed with Bombax trees. Read more about White-winged Brushfinch.