South Island Saddleback

This eastern counterpart of the Black-throated Thrush also breeds in montane areas and winters in lower-elevation areas on average. Males gray above and white below, with a brick-red throat and supercilium. Female paler, with more streaking on the breast and light suffusion of red on the face. Streaky and drab young birds can be difficult to distinguish from Black-throated; chestnut outer tail feathers and orange suffusion to the throat area indicate Red-throated. In areas of overlap, beware hybrids that may show features of both species. Pleasant song is simpler than that of Black-throated, and is composed of fluty whistles and trills. Calls include typical “chekchekchek” and high, thin “tseee.”

Plump ground-dwelling dove. Large for a quail-dove with buffy face, gray crown, scaly neck, and white throat. Body mostly brownish. Sexes alike. Very similar to White-throated Quail-Dove but no range overlap and typically occurs at slightly lower elevations. Found in the foothills and subtropical zone up to 2,500 m. Usually walks on the ground unless flushed into the lower levels of a tree. Like most quail-doves, often best seen by quietly walking along trails at dawn and dusk. Listen for low-pitched “coo” notes.

Medium-sized green woodpecker with delicate scale-like patterning on the underparts. Sexes differ primarily in crown color; male’s is red, female’s is black. Very similar in appearance to Streak-throated and Laced Woodpeckers; note this species’ combination of unpatterned yellow throat, patchy-looking “mustache” stripe, and well-marked breast. Habitat preferences also differ; Streak-breasted favors lowland evergreen broadleaf forests, as well as coastal scrub forest and mangroves. Like other similar “Asian green woodpeckers”, frequently forages close to, or on, the ground. Gives a harsh, resonant “tchik, tchik”, often in series, as well as an explosive rattling.