Palau Bush Warbler

A large, spectacular ground bird of forest on Palawan with a fairly long tail and a crest. Female is entirely brown with a pale face. Male has a black body with blue marks on the wings, a grayish, finely speckled back and tail with blue peacock “eyes,” white marks on the face, and a red eye-ring. Female is somewhat similar to female Red Junglefowl, which has a reddish face and cocks its tail, and Tabon Scrubfowl, which has a much shorter tail. Calls include a harsh grating “skrark!” or sharp “skrik!”

An impressive long-tailed bird of moist mid-elevation woodlands including secondary growth, where it feeds in the understory by peeking and probing into vegetation in pursuit of insects and lizards. Generally solitary and secretive, but not shy. Note this species’ long, straight, narrow bill and buff underparts. The Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo is similar in overall shape, but it is somewhat larger with a chestnut belly and a grayish chest; also note its bill is much shorter and somewhat curved compared to Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo. The passingly similar Mangrove Cuckoo is somewhat smaller, shorter billed, lacks an eyering, and has a black mask. Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoos are often first detected by voice: a rapid-fire, ratcheting “k-k-k-kuh-kuh-kuh-kuh-kuh…” that grows slower and louder as it progresses; usually given at a uniform pitch.

Large potoo with a long graduated tail. Mostly rusty brown with streaked underparts, a conspicuous pale shoulder patch, and a whitish moustache. Occurs from the lower to the upper levels of humid forests. The song is an undulating “waa-OO-uh,” usually sung on moonlit nights.