Opalton Grasswren

Unique-looking flycatcher with a gleamingly clean white throat and a strong rusty orange tinge to the brow and forehead. Overlaps with closely related White-gorgeted Flycatcher but lacks that species’s gray face and black border to the white throat patch. Inhabits foothill and montane forests, where it forages close to the ground in lower vegetation. Both flycatches and gleans for prey more actively. Song is a high, thin series of whistles; a simple version is “tee-tee-tew’, to which additional phrases may be added. Vocal for a flycatcher, and calls often, giving harsh rattles, chips and chiks, and high thin notes.

A gray-brown bunting with a boldly striped head and bright chestnut wings. Pairs and small groups are resident, preferring rocky areas in heathland, arid shrubland, woodland, and grassland, where they mostly hop on the ground searching for food. The song is variable, but is typically a slightly accelerating phrase of 5-6 similar well-spaced notes, “chet-shwit-set-chwit-chet-swit.” The distinctive call is a nasal rising “neeh-neerh-neeeerh-neh” or similar. Now includes Vincent’s Bunting of Malawi, which tends to be darker than Cape Bunting populations elsewhere.

Inconspicuous and uncommon woodpecker of coniferous forests, particularly spruces, often at high elevations (especially in the Rockies). Prefers recently burned areas or bogs with many dead trees. Distinctive habit of flaking bark off trees in search of grubs; behavior shared only by Black-backed Woodpecker. Generally dark with barred flanks and subtle white spots on wings and back. Face is black with white stripes above and below the eye and white speckles on the forehead. Eastern birds darker than western birds. Males show yellow patch on crown; sexes otherwise alike. Most similar to Black-backed Woodpecker but American Three-toed always shows some white on back and more white on head. Listen for soft, hollow "pweek" call and slow drumming that fades at the end.