Bridled Sparrow

Beautiful medium-sized antbird of rainforest floor; most common in tall primary forest. Note rich rusty coloration, bright blue eyering, and habit of walking on ground; throat is black in males and white in females. Flips leaf litter and probes into crevices in logs, often jumping up onto fallen trees and walking along them. Distinctive song is musical and carries far. Can be difficult to see; scolding rattle is usually the first indication that one is nearby.

A fairly large ground-dwelling forest dove. Male is mostly dark with a diagnostic pale head and breast. Upperparts are rufous-brown, head pale gray, belly blackish-brown, and throat, neck, and breast cream-colored. Female entirely brown, with head, neck, and tail considerably more rufous than rest of body. Singles and small groups inhabit forested lowlands on Timor and Wetar islands. Female distinguished from Little and Timor Cuckoo-Doves by shorter tail, dark eyes, and absence of barring. The species gives a two-note hooting call with a short introductory note and an upslurred second one: “wu-wOOYOOP.”

Evidence that not all sparrows are dull, Black-throated Sparrow is a sharp-dressed denizen of open, shrubby desert. Gray-brown overall with distinctive black-and-white face pattern, dark tail with white corners. Streakier juvenile shows a hint of adult's face pattern, especially white eyebrow. Typically found on or near the ground in pairs or small flocks. Tinkling song with short trills and chips.