Sao Tome Oriole

A sparrow-sized, thick-billed songbird from the mountains of Sulawesi. Male is distinctive, almost entirely dark sooty gray except for the maroon back. Female and juvenile are nondescript, entirely dark rusty-brown above and dull olive underneath, but paler on the undertail. A shy inhabitant of montane forest, where singles and pairs stay low in the understory. Female is dark on the breast, unlike Sulphur-bellied Whistler, and lacks yellow flanks, unlike Hylocitrea. Vocalizations are characteristic of whistlers, often including whipping notes: “chiyoo-WHIT” and “chi-WHIT.” Also gives a subdued “brrrr-chit.”

Boldly marked species with a long spiky tail, reddish-brown upperparts, and grayish crown. Note the conspicuous white eyebrow and the white throat bordered below by a black patch. Inhabits dense undergrowth of deciduous and semi-deciduous forest. Occasionally accompanies mixed-species flocks. Sings a high, thin, shrill “tweet, to-wéét,” repeated for long periods.

Rather large blackbird of tropical lowlands; male is much larger than female. Found in forest edges, pastures, orchards, and open grassy areas along rivers; often in small groups. In breeding season, hangs around oropendola colonies, where it lays its eggs in oropendola nests and relies on them to raise its offspring. Thick neck accentuates small head with very stout, pointed bill. Flight is strong and fairly direct, with distinctive flap-flap-flap-glide progression. Eye color varies: red in Mexico and Central America, yellowish in parts of South America.