Rennell Starling

A chunky, streak-backed warbler with a rusty head and wings, a ragged rufous tail, and black moustache stripes. It avoids woodland and trees, preferring rank areas with long grass, scrubby edge, and wet heathland (fynbos). It hops and clambers through dense brush and thickets, then flies low on rapidly-beating wings in labored flight to the next bush, immediately diving into cover. But it will also perch on prominent tall shrubs, like proteas, and sing its melodious tinkling jumbled song that starts softly and gets progressively louder. It also has a distinctive flat mewing “meeeeep” call. The Moustached Grass-Warbler is similar to the Cape Grassbird, but it has a plain unstreaked back, a broad black tail, and a pale eye.

A small, charismatic bird of tepui highland forests. Note orange-rufous face and breast, short tail, and bold wing bars. Found only at higher elevations (above 1000 meters) in understory of humid forest with lush growth of mosses and epiphytes; usually in pairs that may join mixed-species flocks but are often found away from them. Forages deliberately, making short flights between perches and peering about for insect prey. Voice is a hollow, rolling purr, descending in pitch and usually preceded by one or two short notes; it is given intermittently and often in duet by a pair. A distinctive bird and unlikely to be confused with other species in its limited range.

Uncommon in the Andes from western Venezuela to Argentina. Male is black above with a yellow belly and prominent white patches on the wings. Most populations have an entirely black head and chest, but birds in southern Colombia and Ecuador have yellow up the throat. Females are similar to males, but are duller brownish instead of black with more yellowish mottling above. Both sexes have huge bill. Occurs in scrubby woodlands, forest edge, and gardens from around 500 to 3,200 m. Often found in pairs that perch conspicuously.