Western Citril

A chunky brown bird with a short tail and a big, heavy bill. It has strong streaking above and arrow-like spots on the breast. The facial pattern is messy, with dark cheeks and no distinct eyebrow. Juveniles are often paler overall. Similar to Indian and Singing Bushlarks, but Jerdon’s has stronger streaking, looks rounder, and has a shorter tail than either of the others. Similar in proportions to Bengal Bushlark, but Jerdon’s Bushlark is paler, with browner wings. It inhabits open scrub and often perches on trees and wires. The song consists of high-pitched whistles, buzzy trills, and rattles.

A small songbird that often skulks deep in shrubbery but emerges to forage in the open more than some buntings. Adult male has grayish head and chest, yellow belly, and chestnut back and wings. Female is drab brown and extensively streaked overall. Female is somewhat similar to Gray or Masked buntings but has a paler base to the streaked underparts. Song consists of a variable series of alternating buzzy and warbled notes. A sharp “dink” call often betrays its presence.

A large, slender warbler with a disproportionately long bill, short wings, and a long tail. Face and eyebrow yellowish-buff with a dark eye-stripe and a pale throat. Upper body and wings mostly dark with pale edges to feathers, giving a messy mottled appearance. Some birds are much paler, often almost entirely white with some mottling. An entirely dark sooty morph occurs. Found in riverine and hillside forest with stands of bamboo up to 600 meters of elevation. Song is a long, slow sequence of warbled phrases and “churr” notes. Calls include harsh churring and “tchak” notes.