Crimson-backed Tanager

A large and vocal babbler of montane rainforest and shrubby edges. Note warm russet-brown body with bright rufous chest, white throat, white-bordered black mask, and a bright red bill. Forages actively in the dense midstorey, sometimes in mixed species flocks, and can be difficult to see well. Somewhat similar to Red-billed Scimitar-Babbler, but note Coral-billed’s deeper red, sturdier bill and rufous chest. Often gives harsh grating or excited chattering calls as well as soft, oriole-like notes.

Incandescently beautiful male is resplendent in electric blue and snowy white. Female is dull gray-brown with paler underparts. Slight regional variation: “Western” males have a short white eyebrow and “Eastern” females have a faint rusty patch on the forehead. Male may be confused with Himalayan Bluetail, but lacks orange. Female is similar to females of Slaty-blue and Little Pied Flycatchers, but lacks any rufous tones on the tail. Breeds in hill and montane broadleaf and pine forests; descends into lower foothills in winter. Rarely heard song a complex series of whistles and chatters; more commonly heard is the call, a dry trilling chatter, sometimes preceded by a short whistle.

Small antshrike found in the lower and middle levels of dry forests and at the edge of humid forests. Males are gray overall with a black crown, and white-spotted black wings and tail. Females have a rusty crown, back, and tail, are buff below with white spots on the wings. The song is a loud and long series of around 20 descending notes that accelerate in pace. Doesn’t overlap in range with similar Sooretama Slaty-Antshrike and is told from Variable Antshrike by paler gray plumage in males and richer rufous color in females.