Black-billed Scythebill - Campylorhamphus falcularius

Black-billed Scythebill Campylorhamphus falcularius

Brazilian name: arapaçu-de-bico-torto

Black-billed Scythebill, Intervales, São Paulo, Brazil, April 2004 - click for larger image

São Paulo state, Brazil

The Black-billed Scythebill is distributed in south-east Brazil and into adjacent areas of Paraguay and Argentina. It is found in Atlantic Rain Forest and secondary woodland, often associated with stands of bamboo.

It has a very long, decurved black bill the colour of which distinguishes it from the other two scythebills found in Brazil; Red-billed Scythebill Campylorhamphus trochilirostris and Curve-billed Scythebill C. procurvoides. Otherwise it is olive-brown above with a black head and nape with white streaks. The wings and tail are chestnut-rufous and the throat is whitish.

It forages on trunks, as seen in these photos, and on bamboo and bromeliads where its bill must help it catch its insect prey.

There are recordings and a distribution map on xeno-canto.

Black-billed Scythebill, Parque do Zizo, São Paulo, Brazil, November 2006 - click for larger image

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