Willcocks's Honeyguide

A rare and infrequently-seen snipe. Like others of its family, it is cryptically colored and intricately patterned with black, brown, and white. Strong, creamy-white markings on its back are especially striking, both when in flight and at rest. Breeds in wet alpine meadows and bogs and winters in forest pools and marshes. Its high-altitude range distinguishes it from most other snipes except Solitary Snipe, which is much grayer and ‘frostier’ in coloration, especially on the face and back.

A dull and poorly marked prinia with a strong bill and a long, graduated tail. Light brown above with faint dark streaking. Pale below, sometimes with some dark smudging along the sides of the breast. In some areas, breeding males become darker on the face and the bill becomes black. Found at low and moderate elevations in open dry forest, shrubby grasslands, and forest or agricultural edges. Can be retiring and difficult to see in dense vegetation. Sings two different song types: a dry rolling trill and a repeated two-syllabled “tulip.” Separated from most other prinias by its plainness and lack of contrasting head markings. Most similar to Himalayan Prinia, but there is little or no overlap in range, and Burmese Prinia is distinguished by having less streaking overall, especially along the sides of the breast.

Rare and declining, but still fairly abundant at its main wintering grounds at Poyang Lake, in China’s Jiangxi Province. Adult is unmistakable with all-white plumage, save for a crimson face and black wingtips. Juveniles are whitish, with a light brown head, neck, back, and wings. Typically found around lake edges and fields, where it forages in small to medium-sized groups, primarily for plant matter and invertebrates.