Marbled Wren-Babbler

Fairly large trogon of pine and pine-oak forests in highlands; usually at upper levels in trees and often rather shy. Male is striking, with big, bold white squares on underside of tail. Female has broken white eyering on brown head and coarse black-and-white pattern under the tail. Elegant Trogon overlaps in range and can be told from Mountain by the coppery color on the top of the tail (male) or by the white stripe behind the eye (female). Also note the finely patterned tail on both male and female Elegant Trogons. The similar but smaller Collared Trogon is found mainly at lower elevation and has much finer barring on the underside of the tail.

A very plain small warbler without wingbars. Olive-green above with a yellow-washed pale belly and a thin yellowish brow stripe that is strongest above the eye. Tickell’s and Alpine Leaf Warblers are extremely similar; note Buff-throated’s weaker brow pattern that considerably weakens before the eye, shorter bill with a darker tip, and duller buff underparts. Yellow-streaked Warbler can also be similar; again, compare Buff-throated’s shorter bill, as well as its dark grayish (instead of pale pink) legs, yellowish-buff non-contrasting throat, and more yellowish-green upperparts. Radde’s and Dusky Warblers can also be a source of confusion on migration and during the winter, but are visibly larger and bulkier, with distinctly tan-tinged brow stripes. Buff-throated breeds in montane forests up to the treeline, and descends into foothills and lowlands in the winter, where it prefers scrubby habitat. Song is a loud, vibrant “tee-tee-tee-tee-tee,” often with a quiet introductory note. Also gives quiet, somewhat cricket-like chirps and chirrups. 

Very large terrestrial species. Males are mostly black with a curly crest and a white belly and vent. Note the yellow knob on a black-tipped bill. Females are barred black and white above and have a buffy belly and vent, a black bill with some yellow at the base of the lower bill. Usually found in humid forests and gallery forests foraging singly or in pairs; can be very tame. Commonest call is a high-pitched whistled “kseuw.”