Northern Chestnut-breasted Wren

A rare medium-sized parrot of lowland and foothill forest on Luzon. The two central tail feathers have extended shafts ending in a racket shape. Overall green in color, slightly darker on the back, with paler head and underparts and a pale bill. Male is more yellowish-green in color. Overlaps geographically with Luzon Racquet-tail, but Green is found at lower elevations and lacks the brownish back. Also overlaps with Blue-naped Parrot, but has a pale rather than red bill. Voice consists of ringing metallic squawks.

A large, plain cisticola with a reddish cap and two bands across the tail tip, one pale and one dark. Found in open montane habitats with thick herbaceous undergrowth, including forest edge, grassland, and heath, almost always in pairs or small groups. As with other cisticolas, habitat and vocalizations are important to identification. Very similar to Chubb’s Cisticola, but in the small area of overlap, Hunter’s occurs at higher elevations, and is distinguished by the softly streaked back and different vocalizations. Fairly similar to Singing Cisticola, but lacks a rufous panel in the wings. The distinctive song is given in chorus: a frantic series of spitting notes that runs up and down the scale, accompanied by simpler “cher-wee” calls. 

A rotund, short-legged ground-dwelling dove that usually runs rather than flies when startled. Slate-gray belly contrasts with paler gray chest and head, and with purplish shoulders and back. No similar species occur in its range. Apparently rarely vocal, but has been heard giving a snarling sound.