Crissal Thrasher

A brightly colored songbird with a bright golden belly and throat, a black hood and chest band, and an olive upperside and wings. Female is dull overall, with brown upperparts, pale belly, off-white throat, and no breast band. Endemic to northern and western Fiji, where mostly inhabits mature forest, but also secondary growth. Song consists of a melodic whistled series, typically concluded with a decisive-sounding “whit!” note. Formerly treated as part of more broadly-defined “Fiji Whistler” alongside White-throated Fiji Whistler.

A small, compact lark with variable dark- to rusty-brown upperparts, sometimes with darker streaks or feather centers, pale eyebrows and throat, and a pale belly that contrasts with the heavily streaked chest, often washed rufous. The tail is brownish with white outer feathers that are conspicuous in flight. Restricted to a very specific habitat, rocky lava-strewn plains in semi-desert, in two areas of Kenya. Vocalizations are poorly known, but a loud “tsireet” has been recorded during the display flight. Other similar larks are generally less rusty and less streaked on the chest.

Large tanager with a hefty bill. Adult males are completely red; immature males are dull yellow-olive with blotchy patches of red. Females are variable in color, ranging from pale dull yellow to brighter orange. Can be confused with female Scarlet Tanager; Summer has a longer, paler bill and less contrast between wing and body color. Also compare with dustier-looking, stouter-billed Hepatic Tanager. Breeds in mature forests, favoring mixed deciduous and pine in the southeastern U.S. and riparian corridors in the western U.S. and northern Mexico. Extensive winter range from Mexico to Bolivia, where it can be found in any wooded area. Often gives a short, descending rattle “pit-a-tuck.”