Maroon-breasted Philentoma

Philentoma velata

Resembles a stretched-out monarch. Male is dark slaty-blue with a black face and a wine-red patch on its chest. Female is similar but lacks the chest patch; its dark throat nonetheless separates it from blue morph of male Rufous-winged Philentoma. Inhabits lowland, foothill, and lower montane forests, where it moves unobtrusively, gleaning insects from middle and upper levels of forest. Song is a beautiful series of clear, chime-like whistles. Calls are on the opposite end of the pleasantness scale: harsh, low churrs.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Philentoma velata
Authority
(Temminck, 1825)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Vangidae
Genus
Philentoma

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Tawny Lark

Tawny Lark

Galerida deva

A pale yellowish-brown lark with a long, spiky crest and a thick, short bill. The heavy streaking on the upperparts contrasts strongly with the rest of the plumage. Similar to the Malabar and Crested Larks, but Tawny is smaller, with minimal streaking on the breast, paler cheeks, and a different bill shape. It is found in dry, stony fields and grassland. Sings in flight with relaxed wingbeats. The song is extraordinarily rich, long, and continuous, including complex and effortless imitations of other species.

Manchurian Bush Warbler

Manchurian Bush Warbler

Horornis canturians

Warm brownish songbird of shrubby forest edges, reedbeds, and gardens. Brown above, pale below, with pale supercilium and dark eyeline. Note rufous crown. Shy and skulking, rarely straying from dense undergrowth even when singing. Usually detected by its song, a long mournful whistle followed by a quick burst of rich, bubbly notes. All but indistinguishable from Japanese Bush Warbler; averages slightly more rufous on the crown, but best identified by range and voice.

Plain Pigeon

Plain Pigeon

Patagioenas inornata

A large pale pigeon of woodlands and forest edges; often found perching high in trees. Its ruddy shoulders and unbanded tail readily separate it from the similar Ring-tailed Pigeon. When perched, note the whispy whitish leading edge to wing, seen as a bar on upperwing in flight, that is suggestive of White-winged Dove, but that species has brighter white wing markings and is smaller. Scaly-naped and White-crowned Pigeons are much darker. Call is a soft, deep “HOOO-hoo-hoooo” and variations thereof but never similar to “oooOOO-hooo” of Ring-tailed Pigeon.

Start Your Bird Watching Journey

Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.

Maroon-breasted Philentoma | BirdLens