White-eared Tailorbird
Orthotomus cinereiceps
A small, long-billed, long-tailed bird of dense undergrowth in lowland and foothill forest in western Mindanao and Basilan. Olive-green on the back and wings, with an olive-brown tail often held cocked, a pale gray belly, a black hood and chest, and a white ear-spot. Female has a white throat patch. Similar to Rufous-fronted Tailorbird, especially from behind, but has a black hood and white ear-spot. Voice includes monotonous piping notes given in series, a short phrase “pu piiiiiiiii pit,” and a rapid whistled or nasal trill.
Identification
EBird describes the bird as "A small, long-billed, long-tailed bird of dense undergrowth in lowland and foothill forest in western Mindanao and Basilan. Olive-green on the back and wings, with an olive-brown tail often held cocked, a pale gray belly, a black hood and chest, and a white ear-spot. Female has a white throat patch. Similar to Rufous-fronted Tailorbird, especially from behind, but has a black hood and white ear-spot. Voice includes monotonous piping notes given in series, a short phrase “pu piiiiiiiii pit,” and a rapid whistled or nasal trill."<p>Two subspecies are recognized:
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Orthotomus cinereiceps
- Authority
- Sharpe, 1877
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cisticolidae
- Genus
- Orthotomus
Range and habitat
White-eared tailorbird is found in dense tangles in primary and secondary forest and forest clearings up to 1,000 meters above sea level.<p>IUCN has assessed this bird as a Least-concern species due to its tolerance to degraded habitat.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
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Batrachostomus stellatus
Cryptic, seldom-seen nightbird of lowland and foothill forests. Unlike other small frogmouths, sexes are alike. Light morph is bright rufous with scattered white dots on the wings and mottled-white underparts. Dark morph is brown but with the same general patterning. Compare with Sunda Frogmouth: male Sunda is much more heavily marked with white above and has patchier markings on the underparts, while female Sunda has a prominent white band across the chest. Sumatran and Bornean Frogmouths inhabit higher elevations. Song is a loud “weeow-wah.” Calls include “weeow” and a rapid series of “wuk” notes that resembles a thrush’s alarm call.
Christmas Island-Thrush
Turdus erythropleurus
Brown and gray thrush with an orange belly, pale throat, and bright orange bill, eyering, legs, and feet. Inhabits forested habitats across Christmas Island, where it can sometimes be found quite close to human habitation; the only resident thrush on the island, and unmistakable. Often encountered foraging actively on the ground. Song is a variable series of doubled notes; calls include an explosive chattering series of rapid chup notes.
Moluccan Cuckooshrike
Coracina atriceps
A large, long-tailed, heavy-billed cuckooshrike. Male has a complete black hood. Female lacks hood, but head is darker gray to blackish, without a clear black throat. Both sexes are largely pale gray above and white-bellied. Singles or pairs inhabit upper levels of forest and edges in lowland and foothills. Confined to the Moluccas. Larger and heavier-billed than Halmahera and Common Cicadabirds, and white belly separates it from those species and from Stout-billed Cuckooshrike. Distinguished from Black-faced Cuckooshrike by the black hood that includes nape and crown. Gives a harsh, accelerating rattle, “grrgrrgrr-grrRT-GRRRT-GRRRT,” and a high-pitched, soft whining “wheeeyoo.”
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