Plain Swift

Bright yellowish leaf warbler of forest canopy. Like Blyth’s and Claudia’s leaf warblers, Hartert’s has the habit of flicking its wings alternately; compare to Kloss’s and Davison’s leaf warblers, which flick both wings at the same time. Bright olive above with a broad yellow brow and yellow-suffused white belly. Crown stripe and broad, orange-based bill distinguish this species from the similarly sized and shaped Arctic Warbler and Pale-legged Leaf Warbler. Breeds in foothill and submontane broadleaf forests, winters in various wooded habitats at lower elevations, including forest edge. Song is a sweet, high-pitched “wit-wichichew-wichichew-wichichew.” Call is a quiet “wit” or “wichichew.”

This striking parakeet is restricted to the forests of India’s Western Ghats. Bluish-gray male has a bright red upper bill and a black-and-blue collar. The greener female has an all-dark bill and a weaker black collar. Both sexes have blue in the wings and tail, though male’s is more prominent. Gives harsh, buzzy, high-pitched screeching, often as the birds shoot overhead. Favors forest and forest edge.

Fairly common in agricultural fields, grassland, even sparse desert scrub in places. Feeds mainly on the ground, at times in small groups, but male sings from prominent perches and in flight. Handsome male is unmistakable, with a bright red breast, white eyebrow, and sharply pointed bill (no similar species occur in the same range). Female and immature can be puzzling, with little or no red, but note chunky overall shape with rather short tail, bill shape, and whitish eyebrow.