Masked Shining-Parrot

A very little-known, small bird of foothill forest canopy and edge on Tagula Island where the only white-eye. Olive-green upperparts with yellow-green rump, blackish face and tail. White underparts from the throat to the belly and yellow under the base of the tail. Note the broad white eye-ring, broken at the front. Voice, gives a typical white-eye “peer” call. Apparently not seen in recent years.

A medium-sized woodland species that prefers moist forests where it typically “flycatches” from perches in thick foliage beneath the canopy. Note its bright rusty tail and the extensive rust on its wings. The Sad Flycatcher is much smaller-bodied and smaller-billed and lacks the rusty tail and wings. The similar Stolid Flycatcher is also smaller-billed and smaller-bodied with more limited rust on tail and wings. Rufous-tailed Flycatcher has a darker gray head and chest than either Sad or Stolid Flycatchers. Vocalizations include a slightly squeaky, emphatic “or-will,” a whistled “pi-pi-pi-pi-pee-pee-pee-pee,” and a harsh squeaky “pew” given in series, plus brief emphatic twitters.

An easily overlooked gray finch of forest edges and farms, occurring in small groups or with mixed-species flocks, often with other species of nigrita. Males are largely gray above and black below, with dark gray wings and a very pale whitish forehead. Females are largely gray all over with darker wings, a black face mask, and a pale whitish forehead. Both males and females have pale pinkish legs. Occurs with all three other nigrita species, and males can be confused with Gray-headed Nigrita, but note Pale-fronted Nigrita’s lack of spots on the wings and pale forehead. Calls include soft “tew” notes and four descending whistles, “twe-tee-tee-tee.” The song is a longer series of descending whistles.