Spot-necked Babbler

Boldly patterned, tiny bird, usually found in groups. Adult gray above, pale below, with yellow eye and black throat and mask separated by white, chestnut-washed flanks. Juvenile has gray rather than orange and lacks black on throat. Significant regional variation in exact facial patterning: Indochinese population birds have a gray crown (bright rufous in other populations) and Himalayan birds have an white oval brow patch. Forages acrobatically in small branches, sometimes hovering at the tips to extract invertebrates. Often difficult to see in dense trees; presence given away by high-pitched contact calls (“tsip”) and thin, rolling trills. Predominantly found in broadleaf and mixed forests in foothills and submontane areas, but can also range into lowlands.

A medium-sized typical nightjar that is unusually plain, but with small white patches on the sides of the throat. Overall coloration varies from rufous to brown to gray. Both sexes have a small pale mark in the outer wing and at the corners of the tail. Found in areas of bare ground in dry savanna and thornscrub. Very similar to Plain Nightjar, but distinguished by white throat marks and voice. Also similar to Egyptian Nightjar, but has larger pale patches in the wings and tail. The call is a repeated “cheuu.”

A brown, tree-climbing bird with a strongly curved bill. Appears small-headed; plumage is mostly rufous-brown with buffy streaking on head and neck. Found in tall rainforest, where it is uncommon and locally distributed; often occurs in areas with extensive bamboo thickets. Generally shy and rather difficult to observe. Forages at middle and upper levels, using extraordinary bill to probe into deep bark crevices, bromeliads, and broken bamboo stems. Regularly follows mixed-species flocks. Song is variable, usually an accelerating series of strident whistles. Curved bill should immediately distinguish this species from most other woodcreepers in range. In western and central Amazonia, may overlap with Red-billed Scythebill, from which it may not be safely separable unless singing.