Streaky-breasted Spiderhunter

A chunky, large-headed bird of open areas, usually found perched on wires or flying around in search of insects. Soft gunmetal gray with white underparts. Often found pressed together in pairs or tight groups when at rest. Sometimes flies in the same areas as swallows and swifts, but has a much thicker build, with triangular, somewhat starling-like wings. The only woodswallow throughout most of its range. Song is a somewhat myna-like series of sweet warbling and harsh chattering. Also gives nasal scolding “nyeh”, comparable to a jay or treepie.

Beautiful small songbird with a shining white head, black “bib”, deep chestnut body, and silverish-blue bill. Similar to White-headed Munia, but much darker overall, with a contrasting dark throat and chest. Inhabits rice paddies, marshlands, and grasslands, where often in large flocks with other munias. Most common call a series of paired whistles.

A bulky bird of tepui highlands, often encountered in groups. Unlikely to be confused within its limited range; plumage mostly coppery-olive (may tend toward yellow in sunlight) with a contrasting gray face and throat. Stout bill is silvery gray. Occurs in canopy of tepui highland forest, generally above 800 m, where groups forage noisily through vegetation, probing into epiphytes and dead leaves and hopping clumsily along branches, eating whatever is in their path. Frequents fruiting trees, and may join mixed-species flocks but are just as likely to be found away from them. Most typical call is a dreadful high-pitched screech, modulated as if the bird is being squeezed, and sounding quite literally like fingernails on a chalkboard.