Rusty Whistler

A small whydah with a reddish-orange bill and legs. The breeding male has buffy-orange underparts and neck, a dark cap, and 17-centimeter-long black tail feathers. The female and non-breeding male have streaky upperparts and pale buffy underparts. Breeding males hold territories in dry thorn scrub, but form flocks with other seedeaters after breeding. The species imitates the song of the Violet-eared Waxbill, which it parasitizes. Differs from the similar Pin-tailed Whydah by Shaft-tailed Whydah's duller pink bill and streakier head in female and non-breeding male plumages, and black-and-buff plumage of the breeding male.

The adult is a uniform drab-olive greenbul, slightly paler on the belly, with striking pale eyes that are characteristic. Juveniles have dark eyes and a small yellow gape. Pairs skulk and can be quite secretive in the midstory and canopy of forest, forest edge, and thickets up to 2000 meters of elevation, foraging on fruits and insects. It is often first detected by its loud, shrill “Willie! …..come out and play with me” song, ending with a nasal “sca-a-ared.” Northern birds sing a different song with a similar quality.

Ethereal song rings through breeding grounds in northern spruce forest; found in thickets and forest understory during migration, when it tends to be shy and hard to find. To distinguish from other Catharus thrushes, note very faint eyering and plain gray face. Small bill with yellow base. Grayer face than Swainson's Thrush and lacks buffy eyering. Nearly identical to Bicknell's Thrush, which shows slight reddish wash to plumage. Song is a stuttering series of descending phrases with a notably wiry tone. Call a high-pitched, piercing "pzeeer."