Crested Becard

17 cm. A big becard with a very thick bill. <NMale black above. Supra-loral area pale buff-gray. A variable amount of white on the scapulars. Below pale buff-gray. <NFemale has a dark gray crown and rufous upper parts. The supra-loral area is rufous-yellow. Primaries blackish. Below rufous-yellow. A high tri-syllablic "trrrr-wi-it" plus a variety of low trills and high penetrating whistles such as "tirrrrrrrrr tirrrrrrr.........wi wi ziee ziee ziu". Perches in medium stratum of trees. Usually occurs in pairs. This species builds a large globular nest with a side entrance ^91 . Rather common in open forest or forest edge, plantations and borders of clearings, swamps and lakes. Throughout. The Serra do Mar, Serra Mantiqueira, Serra dos Org<C4>os, Fazenda Intervales, Iguape, Cananeia<8E>etc. to about 1500 meters. This species was originally placed into the genus /Platypsaris which contains larger species than /Pachyrhamphus sensu stricto, which are proportionally heavier billed. 3520 Call near nest. Bertioga, near Santos, 11<10>5<10>95. Sunny, 25<91>C. Open forest.: 2787 Calls, Boraceia, 11<10>14<10>93, open forest, sunny, 30<91>C.: 6286 Calls. Pirapora, 11<10>12<10>98. Cloudy, 25<91>C. Gallery forest. With /Synallaxis frontalis, Cariama cristata .: 5683 Call. Jureia-Peruibe, 10<10>10<10>99. Cloudy, 22<91>C. Open country near forest.: 1352 >. Male: 12728 >. Female: A27 . Female, Itatiaia, Agulhas Negras road Photograph by Fritz Mueller .: 9503 . Female near nest. Ubatuba. Photograph by F. M<DD>ller.: