Yellow-bellied Whistler

Pachycephala philippinensis

A fairly small bird of lowland and foothill forest. Brown above and yellow below with a white throat. Races differ, with southern birds having more yellowish upperparts. Somewhat similar to Mindanao White-eye, but has a slightly thicker bill, lacks the olive-green back, and is usually found at lower elevations. Calls include a fairly high-pitched downslurred whistle. Song consists of a short phrase of slurred whistles.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Pachycephala philippinensis
Authority
(Walden, 1872)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Pachycephalidae
Genus
Pachycephala

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Other Birds

Black-eared Barbet

Black-eared Barbet

Psilopogon duvaucelii

A small barbet of dense, broad-leaved forests in lowland and foothill regions. Adult is bright green with a blue face patterned with a complex mosaic of black, red, orange, and yellow. Juvenile is green with a powder-blue face and no dark markings. Like most other barbets, tends to stick to dense canopy and is seldom seen, but its far-carrying song is often heard: a long steady series of single or doubled chirping notes that somewhat resemble a frog’s. Also gives a series of rising peeps: “weet, weet, weet.” Overlaps with Blue-eared Barbet (with which it is treated as one species by some taxonomies) in far southern Thailand and northern Malaysia.

Spix's Woodcreeper

Spix's Woodcreeper

Xiphorhynchus spixii

Medium-sized woodcreeper with a slightly curved bill. Has buff spots on its head which become elongated semi-circles with dark edges on the mantle and underparts. Found in the understory of humid forest, where it regularly accompanies mixed-species flocks and occasionally attends army-ant swarms. The song is a fast trill that ends with a whine “-wheu.” Best distinguished from the similar Striped Woodcreeper by Spix’s darker bill, darker and less contrasting head, and different song and habitat.

Southern Marquesan Reed Warbler

Southern Marquesan Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus mendanae

A medium-sized reed warbler, bright yellow below and tawny above, with pale-edged black wing feathers. Bill long and slightly downcurved, giving the bird a very “long-headed” appearance. Found in scrubby areas and plantations, avoiding deep primary forest. Call is a harsh “tchak.” Song is a mix of whistles, churring, warbling, and rasping scold notes.

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