Northern Schiffornis

A striking black-and-white songbird with diagnostic bold white markings on the black face and a broad white panel in the black wings. Outer tail feathers white, and underparts white except for black throat. Female shows more extensive white facial markings and a rose flush to breast. Singles or pairs can be found high in forests of the lowlands and foothills, regularly joining mixed-species flocks. Unique within range in Tanimbar Islands. Song is a stuttering, rising “w’w’witcheuwit.” Also gives a shorter “witcheu” and characteristic monarch rasping calls, “grrrt-grrrt.”

Distinctive large, dark wheatear with a strong bill. Males are largely all black except for a white tail, rump, and vent. The tail has a black center and terminal band. Females are similar, but browner. Normally encountered foraging on the ground in rocky areas with steep slopes. Shy and typically flies uphill when flushed. Song is a pleasant warble, sometimes with a buzzy or trilled element. Calls include a smooth whistle “eee eee.”

Slender and drab songbird of open country. Brownish above with heavy streaking below. Distinguished from similar-looking (unrelated) buntings by thin bill and lanky appearance with long legs. Walks on the ground with jerky motions and frequently bobs tail. Breeds in tundra, while in winter and during migration, found in cultivation, moist grassland, and wetlands. Flocks are often heard as they pass overhead or flush from a barren field; listen for sharp, high-pitched call notes and look for flashing white outer tail feathers.