Red-headed Finch

A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of lowland forest, bamboo, and scrub on Cebu, where it has a preference for valley bottoms. Male is entirely black with a glossy sheen, where the female is sooty gray with a rusty belly. Catches insects on the ground, in the undergrowth, or even on the wing. There are no other species of similar shape and size on Cebu. Song is a series of long, slightly out of tune, often quavering whistles.

A fairly small bustard of thick brush in dry country. The male has a buff crest that is usually hidden, and both sexes have a black belly. Found in dry savanna and thornscrub habitat with lots of bushes, unlike most bustards, which prefer grass-dominated habitats. Similar to Black-bellied and Hartlaub’s Bustards, but smaller, and prefers different habitats. Larger than Little Brown Bustard, with a black belly. The call is a rising and accelerating series of distressed-sounding notes that often precede the display: a quick flight up, then a plummet to the ground.

A large gray cuckooshrike with a strong, hooked bill. Upperparts are mostly gray with black primaries; male darker than female. Note pale patch on back and white tail tips when bird is in flight. Male is gray with a lightly barred white belly. Female has denser barring that transitions to a white lower belly and undertail. Both sexes have a dark patch from the bill to slightly behind the eye, giving a masked impression. Juvenile is brownish, heavily scaled with whitish-buff, and mottled on the underparts. Immature has broader white edges to wing feathers. Vocal. Often gives a two-noted, rather nasal “gii-yaak,” uttered in flight as well as from a perch; also gives scratchy squeal calls. Inhabits lightly wooded country, avoiding wet forests.