Gillett's Lark

A large, little-known bird of lowland forest on Tagula Island where the only butcherbird. Mainly black plumage with white mark at the shoulder, above and below the base, and also at the tip of the tail. Long, silvery bill with black tip. Trumpet Manucode is a similar size and co-occurs, but Tagula Butcherbird has obvious white markings. Typical butcherbird song of low warbles mixed with bell-like notes and loud “chok!” notes.

Distinctive gnatcatcher. Males have a glossy black cap and are gray above with a white face and yellow-washed underparts. Females have a gray cap. Forages acrobatically in the canopy and at the edges of humid forests and woodlands. May be seen alone or with mixed-species flocks. The song is a fast, thin “weet-weet-weet-weet.”

This distinctive sparrow is common in open montane woodland usually dominated by pine. Primarily a Mexican species, barely enters U.S. Much like Gray-headed and Red-backed subspecies of Dark-eyed Junco but with staring yellow eye and rufous back usually extending onto wings. Otherwise pale gray, darkest around the eye. Bill half black, half yellow. White outer tail feathers like Dark-eyed Junco. Forages on the ground, but perches higher when singing. Song has a similar ringing tone to Dark-eyed Junco, but usually with several distinct sections of chips and trills.