Sharpe's Starling

Small songbird, mud brown above, pale below, with pale tan supercilium (white only in the lores) and black eyeline. Smaller-billed than the similar Radde's Warbler, which has a predominantly white supercilium (tan only in the lores). Inhabits a wide range of areas with dense, low vegetation, from open forests to agricultural field edges. Forages low in undergrowth, but regularly pops out to investigate surroundings. Easily detected by its hard “tak” calls, given constantly as it moves around out of sight. Song is a bland, brief series of rapidly repeated phrases: “jijijijiji.”

A medium-sized bird of foothill and lower montane forest and edge. Tawny colored body with black head, chest, wing and tail. Remeniscent of Orchard Oriole. Almost identical to some races of Southern and Northern Variable Pitohui but Hooded is usually found at higher altitude. Hooded is best told by voice which is usually lower. Voice, a complex array of low, oriolelike warbles, wolf-whistles and clicks. Some vocalizations sound like “pi-to-hui”.

Both sexes of this thrush are fairly uniformly-colored: the male is predominantly blue-gray and the female is warm brown with a slight buffy wash to the underparts. May be confused with Indian Blackbird in southwestern wintering range, but both sexes are paler and smaller than their respective counterparts of that species. Breeds in open forest and forest edge in hilly and submontane areas; winters in similar habitat at lower altitudes. Sings melodic warbling and buzzing phrases; also gives a short bubbly bursts of “chup” notes.