Rufous-browed Conebill

Dull brownish leaf warbler. Brown above with brownish-yellow underparts. Extremely similar in appearance to Radde’s Warbler, but Yellow-streaked has a more contrastingly pale brow stripe, finer bill, and fine yellow streaks on the breast. The breast streaks themselves are often not visible, instead appearing as a faint yellow wash from a distance. Dusky Warbler is somewhat similar but is much browner overall with a darker brow stripe and less contrast between upper- and underparts. Breeds in subalpine shrubbery and descends into foothills to winter in similar habitat. Song is a series of cascading tinkling, buzzy notes. Gives metallic “tinks”.

An easily overlooked understory bird of undisturbed and disturbed forests in the lowlands and foothills. Has a typical illadopsis shape but shows reddish-brown upperparts, a buffy-brown belly, a pale gray throat, and a distinctive head pattern that includes a black cap and a gray face with a darker ear patch. Song is a piercing, rising whistled couplet “tlee-dlee!” or a single “tlee!”

This is the only montane laughingthrush in its range and hence unmistakable. It has dull olive-brown upperparts, a grey-streaked white breast, and a rufous-chestnut lower breast and belly. The most striking characteristic is the white eyebrow, flaring in front of the eye over a dark eye-line. Found in stunted montane forests, tea estates, and wooded second growth, in pairs or noisy flocks, producing a melodious “pe-kee-ke” song and several other chatters intermingled with musical notes. Heard more often than seen; its songs and calls are usually the first indication of its presence.