Chinese Thrush

A medium-sized gadfly petrel with long, pointed wings, long tail, and elastic, powerful flight. Bill is short and thick. Upperparts all dark. Has two color morphs—dark and pale. In pale morph, head and breast dark, contrasting with white belly, creating a hooded appearance. Undertail coverts dark. Dark morph is all dark on belly. In both morphs underwing has pale mid-wing panel across the entire wing.

A woodland species that also ventures into parks and gardens. Often found in groups of up to five foraging at middle to upper heights and uncommonly joins mixed-species flocks. Note this species’ black cheek, which is bordered below by broad white moustache stripes and above by a gray crown. The similar Black-crowned Palm-Tanager has an entirely white throat and a black crown. Vocalizations are poorly known, but include a high thin “tseeoo” that is briefer than similar note of Black-crowned.

Unique to the Bornean highlands, this remarkable and highly-sought-after spiderhunter, with its bright white streaking and yellow rump, is utterly unmistakable. Forages actively in the canopy, often singly or in pairs, but sometimes with mixed flocks, frequently probing into flowers and mossy vegetation. Gives a clicking nasal call, “bu’chuk-yih-WEEEE”, or just the nasal “WEEEE”.