Andaman Woodpecker

A tiny easily-overlooked bird of forest understory. Plumage is mostly rufous, somewhat paler on belly, with a grayish head and a yellow crown patch that is not usually visible under field conditions. Note large-eyed appearance. Found in a variety of forest types, where it is an uncommon and poorly known resident of lower and middle levels; may be somewhat more common in areas with sandy soils. Feeds on insects and fruit taken in short sallies; sometimes found with understory mixed-species flocks. Strikingly similar to more common Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher but somewhat bulkier with distinctive large-eyed look; at close range, note blue-gray legs. Most readily detected by voice: call is a high, slurred note with a squeezed quality, given at fairly long intervals and often preceding the song, which is a distinctive, descending series of piping notes that carries surprisingly far and may be mistaken for a leaftosser at a distance.

A rather long-tailed and long-winged bird with a short stubby head, similar in proportions to a small cuckooshrike. Has a black crown, eye-stripe, back, and tail with a prominent white eyebrow, wide white wingbar, and white underside often barred brown or gray. Female is similar, but rusty-brown instead of black. Common in most habitats, including urban gardens. Similar to Long-tailed Triller, but separated by white eyebrow, underside barring, and wing pattern. Common calls include a loud, tacking “tchick” and a ringing “pee-chew.”

A medium-sized dove of lowland secondary forest on Tawi-Tawi Island, where it is the only brown-dove. Dark brown above with a gray head, purplish iridescence on the back of the neck, rufous-brown underparts from the throat to the belly, white under the base of the tail, and a pale gray tail tip. Does not resemble any other similarly sized doves in its range. Sings an accelerating series on the same pitch, ending in a trill, “dup-dup-dup-du-du-d-d-drrrrr,” reminiscent of a ping-pong ball falling on a table.