Pink-footed Puffback

A fairly small bird of mid-elevation montane forest on Panay. Dark brown above and heavily streaked with black below, with base color blending from white on the throat to buffy on the lower belly. Note the white face edged with black and the thin black stripe behind the eye. Often found in mixed-species flocks. Somewhat similar to Stripe-sided and Visayan Rhabdornises, but smaller, and lacks the broad black band through the eye. Voice includes a loud staccato trill.

Scarce and very local. A rather plain, easily overlooked, small seed-eating bird. Usually found as singles or pairs in association with seeding bamboo in forested areas, from lowlands to highlands, but mainly in foothills. In most of range the male is dull dark bluish overall (with slightly brighter highlights on shoulder), while the female is rich brown overall. In southwest Mexico, male is paler and more denim-blue; female is grayish brown. Note the grayish bill, which is smaller than bill of Blue Bunting, and subtly different in shape from bill of Varied Bunting. Listen for sharp metallic chips and sweet warbling song.

A distinctive, little-known thrush from the island of Seram. A dark bird with a dull rufous crown, dark brown upperparts with clean white dots on the wings, blackish underparts with a white belly, and white scaling on the flanks. Rarely seen. Terrestrial, observed singly or in pairs in flat areas inside foothill and mountain forests. No other similar thrushes occur on Seram. Calls include a two-note high-pitched whistle, the first note short, the second rapidly rising: “tew-teweeeeeee.” Also gives short, sharp descending “tsew” notes.