Northern Scrub-Flycatcher

Fairly large lory of lowlands and foothill forest and edge. Mainly dark plumage, with 2 obvious bands across the chest and a red bill. Coloration varies from yellow to red. In flight, bright yellow patch in the wing is highly visible. Distinctive fast and straight flight. Often seen flying high in large flocks. Somewhat similar to Black, Brown and Yellow-streaked Lories, but Dusky has a red rather than black bill and different flight. Coconut Lorikeet shows bright red in the fore wing. Very vocal. Noisy, high-pitch, ringing screeches.

Fairly common in Argentine Patagonia, but local and scarce in southern Chile. Favors semiopen habitats, from shrub-steppe to farmland with hedges and shrubby patches. Often perches atop bushes and on roadside wires and posts. Runs well on the ground, usually with tail cocked; at times can be rather elusive, skulking in bushes. Identified by bold pale eyebrow, buffy-gray underparts, white wingbars, and white tail corners; compare with White-banded Mockingbird, which has much more white in wings and tail.

Combination of strongly scaled breast, rufous tail, and round-headed appearance distinguish this species from others in its range. Small and skulky, sticking to dense shrubbery and shorter trees in its forest breeding grounds, where it favors dense, moist growth in lowland broadleaf forests. Often bolder on migration, emerging into forest edges and gardens. Song is distinctive, a long, wet-sounding descending trill.