Palawan Babbler

A small insectivorous eagle-owl that sallies to catch flying insects from mid-canopy perches near openings in lowland forest. Has a distinctive pale belly with large dark spots, a brownish-gray face and back, yellow eyes, and a banded tail. Vocalizations include soft grunts, a short ascending or descending whistled “woooh,” and short trilled calls. Vocalizations can resemble those of other eagle-owls within its range, but Akun Eagle-Owl’s distinctive pale belly and large, obvious spotting on a mostly white chest are unique.

Medium-sized brown seedeater. Note the boldly marked face with a streaked crown, white eyebrow, and broad dark brown patch through the eye; also note pale streaks on breast. Found in woodland habitats including miombo. Gives a pretty, musical up-and-down song of whistles and trills. The call is a harsh “chu-wee-uu.” Similar to Black-eared Seedeater, but the ear markings are dark brown rather than black.

Uncommon thrush-sized bird found in open and patchy habitats across much of northern North America and northeastern Asia. Adults are pale gray above with a black mask, black wings with small white patch at base of primaries, often with faint grayish barring on underparts. Young birds are browner and more heavily barred than adults, with reduced white in wing and more diffuse dark mask. Breeds in open shrubby forest and willow thickets; in winter can be found in dunes, brushy fields, or hedgerows in agricultural areas. Usually seen singly, often perched conspicuously on a snag or powerline. In North America, may overlap with Loggerhead Shrike in winter. Northern is slightly larger, paler, and shows more white around the eye. Carnivorous habits make shrikes unique among passerines; they feed on rodents and small birds. Undulating flight; watch for white patches in the wings.