Tagula Butcherbird

Supreme understory skulker in montane forest, resembling a hybrid between a thrush and babbler. A dull and dowdy understory specialist with brown-olive upperparts and boldly-streaked cream-yellow underparts. Immature is more uniformly olive. Singles or pairs are highly localized residents working the leaf-litter in rich wet undergrowth of Eastern Arc montane forest, between 900–1800m, especially close to streams; shy and hops or runs quickly across forest-floor, seldom permitting absorbing looks. Vocalizations are variable, but most frequently utters a rich and fluty song “we-lu-we-lu-wel’li-lu” and sweet bulbul-like chattering calls. The Dapple-throat resembles immature robin-chats or thrushes, but lacks spotting and scaling on the upperparts.

Well-named; both the male and female have a white throat, as well as a long white wing stripe, a flashing orange rump, and a dark tail. The male has a dark gray hood, a black face, and a deep orange belly. The female is less brightly colored, but no other female redstart in range has her white throat and long wing stripe. Breeds at high altitude, in stunted bushes and conifers, and winters in at middle altitudes in open scrubby areas.

A smallish, chunky, ground-dwelling species of forests with dense leaf litter; prefers wetter habitats. Secretive but not shy; sometimes detected by the rustling of leaves it is strolling through. The rather similar Key West Quail-Dove lacks iridescent turquoise on the neck and has a reddish or purple upper back unlike Bridled. Ruddy Quail-Doves have less contrasting facial markings and the males have an entirely rusty back; some also sport a vertical white shoulder stripe. Song is a low, plaintive “hoo-hooooooo,” given at a single pitch with second note initially growing louder and then leveling off; first note sometimes omitted.