Plumbeous Kite

A large, broad-winged dark raptor. Adults show a short crest, a blackish head with yellow facial skin, a chocolate-brown back, and rust-colored underparts with extensive white speckling. In flight appears blackish with a conspicuous single broad white bar on the rear of the wings and tail. Immatures pale, with dark mask, boldly streaked underparts, and dark chocolate upperside. In flight, note extensive dark markings on underwings. Inhabits forests, edges, rice paddies, and sparsely wooded areas from lowlands to mountains. Confined to Sulawesi and the Banggai and Sula Islands. Speckled rusty underside identifies perched adults, dark mask perched immatures. In flight, distinguished from all other local raptors by white bar on rear wing and tail of adults, and by bold streaking below in immatures. Gives strident “kew” calls, sometimes with inflection: “kew-di-lew.”

A very plain small warbler without wingbars. Olive-green above with a yellow-washed pale belly and a thin yellowish brow stripe that is strongest above the eye. Tickell’s and Alpine Leaf Warblers are extremely similar; note Buff-throated’s weaker brow pattern that considerably weakens before the eye, shorter bill with a darker tip, and duller buff underparts. Yellow-streaked Warbler can also be similar; again, compare Buff-throated’s shorter bill, as well as its dark grayish (instead of pale pink) legs, yellowish-buff non-contrasting throat, and more yellowish-green upperparts. Radde’s and Dusky Warblers can also be a source of confusion on migration and during the winter, but are visibly larger and bulkier, with distinctly tan-tinged brow stripes. Buff-throated breeds in montane forests up to the treeline, and descends into foothills and lowlands in the winter, where it prefers scrubby habitat. Song is a loud, vibrant “tee-tee-tee-tee-tee,” often with a quiet introductory note. Also gives quiet, somewhat cricket-like chirps and chirrups. 

Elegant wader with a long fine bill and long reddish legs (dark on breeding adults). Striking breeding plumage dark overall. Nonbreeding plumage is paler and grayer than smaller and chunkier Common Redshank. In flight often appears dark overall with narrow white oval up middle of back. Breeds in arctic bogs and swamps; migrants occur in varied wetland habitats. Usually seen as singles or small groups, though will sometimes congregate in large flocks, especially on wintering grounds. Feeds mainly by wading in fairly deep water, probing and picking with its bill, at times swimming.