North Solomons Dwarf-Kingfisher

Large, brightly colored, chicken-like rail of freshwater marshes and damp woodland, less often occurs in mangroves. Unlike many rails, can be conspicuous, even bold, walking in the open along the edge of ponds and rivers, twitching its short black tail; usually seen singly or in pairs. Note long yellowish bill, hot-pink legs, and gray head and neck contrasting with orangey breast. Similar to Gray-cowled Wood-Rail, but barely any range overlap, and Russet-naped has a bright reddish-brown patch on the back of the head.

Beautiful, boldly patterned bird of montane forest. Reddish brown above, black below, with a black head, broad white mustache, and coral red bill. Perches upright in the mid-story and canopy of humid forest and forest edge. Listen for its distinctive song, an even-pitched, rusty wheeze “zzeee,” repeated every 10-20 seconds.

A medium-sized wheatear that is variable in plumage, but always has a diagnostic white rump and outer tail feathers in both sexes. The male has both gray and black morphs with white shoulder patches and black wings; gray morphs often have a gray crown. The female is sooty brown. Pairs and small groups perch on promontories in open shrubby hilly areas, stony patches on level ground, and around stone buildings, dropping onto the ground to forage. The similar White-headed Black-Chat resembles male dark-morph Mountain Wheatear, but has a black tail and rump and occupies broadleaf woodland.