Red-headed Finch

A fairly small owl of lower-elevation montane forest on Luzon. Dark brown on the head, chest, and upperparts, with barred flight feathers. Eyebrows, beard, and belly whitish, with some patterning. Overlaps geographically with Philippine Scops-Owl, but Luzon is smaller, usually found at higher elevation, and has yellow rather than orange-brown eyes. Voice includes a single slightly rising then falling whistled note, repeated at intervals.

Brightly-colored swallow with a deeply forked tail, pale orangish rump, black squared-off undertail coverts, and an incomplete orange collar. Color of underparts varies geographically from pale whitish to rufous, with sparse or no streaking. Juveniles average paler and lack extensive orangish tones; may resemble house-martins but note deeply forked tail. Builds mud nests on rocks as well as human structures, and forages over a wide variety of open habitats. Frequently gives a short, sparrow-like “twi’wit.” Very similar to European Red-rumped Swallow, but with little or no streaking below.

Attractive petrel with a black mask, largely gray above and white below, with a diagnostic dark breast band. Note the heavy dark bill. In flight, exhibits gray underwings and gray and dark brown M-pattern on the back. The rare dark morph has dark underparts, but still retains the distinctive complete breast band, which is the most useful mark separating this species from Fea’s and Zino’s Petrels.  Usually encountered well offshore, in towering roller-coaster flights; sometimes follows boats.