Samoan Triller

Active little bird found in wide variety of scrubby, brushy, and lightly wooded habitats from lowlands to the high Andes. Often in pairs, hopping in bushes and brush with tail often held cocked; can be difficult to see well as it constantly flits about. Best identified by small size, recurved “devil horn” crest, and staring pale eyes; breast streaking finer and less striking than on Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant, which has limited range overlap with Tufted Tit-Tyrant.

A fairly small owl of lowland and foothill forest and woodland. Rather dark brown on the head and back and reddish-brown on the chest, with bright yellow eyes and thin white eyebrows forming a V. Mindoro Scops-Owl is similar in size and color, but Mindoro Boobook is finely barred all over. Much smaller than Chocolate Boobook, without white on the chest. Song is a fairly high-pitched, descending mournful whistle, “wiiiiuuuuu.”

Fairly large, mostly green woodpecker, unmistakable throughout much of range. Note red crown, pale eyes, and black face (male has red whisker mark). Yellowish rump shows mainly in slightly undulating flight. Juvenile is extensively barred and spotted all over, and lacks the contrasting face pattern. Inhabits open woodland, heathland, gardens, and farmland with hedges and scattered larger trees. Unlike most woodpeckers, feeds mainly on the ground, including garden lawns, probing into anthills and moving with an odd, shuffling gait. Gives loud, bright “kee-kee-kee-kee-kee” and drums rather infrequently.