Red-bearded Bee-eater

Simply-colored nuthatch with gray upperparts and pale orange underparts. Difficult to distinguish from similarly-colored nuthatches, but averages smaller than Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, and has a bright white spot on the tail base and a clean tan vent instead of a white-and-orange-striped one. Resides in Himalayan foothills, where it often forages in the middle and upper levels with mixed-species flocks.

Distinctive small swallow with blue-black upperparts, a big white rump patch, and snow-white underparts. Juvenile in late summer and autumn is duller above and dingier below than adult. Compare with other swallows; note the relatively shallowly forked and streamerless tail, as well as jerky and fluttery flight. In east of range, overlaps with very similar Siberian House-Martin (formerly treated as one species); note present species’ significantly smaller rump patch. Breeds colonially, frequently building mud nests under the eaves of buildings; forages over varied open and semi-open habitats, especially water bodies and adjacent fields. Gives a soft burbling trill.

A spectacular ground-dwelling forest bird with a plump short-tailed body, extremely long legs, a bold red belly, a broad blue chest band, a reddish top to the black head, and green upperparts. Females yellow-eyed, males dark-eyed. Singles forage on forest floor or perch in the understory, especially when calling. Restricted to lowland forest on the Banggai and Sula Islands, where it is unmistakable. Song is typical of the genus: a two-part tremulous whistle, rising on the first part, and falling mournfully on the last part: “waaaaaaaaop-aaaaaaaawow.”