Orange-tufted Spiderhunter

A large, slender warbler with a disproportionately long bill, short wings, and a long tail. Face and eyebrow yellowish-buff with a dark eye-stripe and a pale throat. Upper body and wings mostly dark with pale edges to feathers, giving a messy mottled appearance. Some birds are much paler, often almost entirely white with some mottling. An entirely dark sooty morph occurs. Found in riverine and hillside forest with stands of bamboo up to 600 meters of elevation. Song is a long, slow sequence of warbled phrases and “churr” notes. Calls include harsh churring and “tchak” notes.

Adults are gray overall with a white head and dark nape. Juveniles are dark sooty-gray with a white mustache stripe. Some variation across range; Rocky Mountain birds are palest. A bird of northern latitudes and high elevations; found in coniferous forests and clearings. Almost always in pairs or small family groups. Known for friendly, inquisitive behavior. Often seen around campgrounds and roadsides, looking for food handouts. Voice consists of variable soft, husky notes.

Little-known swift found mostly in mountainous areas, though flocks occasionally venture into lowlands. All dark with short square tail and angular wings. Namesake white spots on forehead and behind eyes are distinctive, but these can be extremely difficult to see. Many swifts are best left unidentified. Sex and age variation not well known; some birds, maybe juveniles, can show whitish scaling on belly. Occasionally seen singly or mixed with flocks of other swifts, but most often in monotypic flocks of up to several dozen individuals. Voice can be helpful with practice; typically a staccato chatter followed by “pew pew pew” notes like a laser gun.