Seram Bush Warbler

A fairly small to medium-sized bird of montane forest and edge on Mindanao. Bright cinnamon on the crown and back with darker wings and tail, a pale orange throat, chest, and sides, and white on the belly and under the base of the tail. Note the red eye and the silver-gray legs and bill. Often found in mixed-species flocks. No similar species in range. Voice is a mixture of high-pitched squeals, a sharp nasal “wik,” and a forceful, medium-pitched “piii! piuu-piuu!” with the final notes downslurred.

Woodstars are tiny hummingbirds that fly like bumblebees. Purple-throated is restricted to the west slope of the Andes in Colombia and Ecuador, where it inhabits cloud forest, edges, and second growth from 800–2,000 m. Males have a glittering purple throat, white chest band, fairly long forked tail, and white patches on the sides of the rump. Unlikely to be confused within range. Females are trickier; note the orangey belly with a variable amount of smudgy white in the center (never as extensive as on female White-bellied Woodstar) and the thin whitish line that extends behind the eye and wraps around the neck (not as wide or buffy as on Little Woodstar). Often seen singly feeding in the canopy; visits feeders.

Slender brown and buff bird found in dry grasslands in the high Andes. It has a streaked breast and white outer tail feathers that can be conspicuous in flight. Similar to several other pipits; some features that help to distinguish it include its pale overall appearance, lack of thick stripes on back, faint eyebrow, thin whisker mark, and whitish (not buffy) belly. Other pipits in range tend to favor more humid areas. Voice is the best way to verify ID. Song, often given in flight, starts with a few chip notes, then morphs into a descending buzz and is quickly followed by several sharp chirps. Feeds on the ground, and sometimes comes up to an elevated perch such as a rock or a wire. This species was split from Short-billed Pipit, which is found at lower elevations and does not overlap with Puna Pipit.