Hunter's Sunbird

Medium-sized sandgrouse, smaller than Spotted Sandgrouse. Rather compact build, lacking any long projecting tail feathers. Males have a distinctive black forehead and chin. Females are heavily patterned all over. Both sexes have an orange throat and a grayish crown and nape. In flight, shows a strongly contrasting two-toned underwing pattern. Flight call is a rather dry, nasal mumble, “hu-het hu-het.” Breeds on stony plains and hills in the harsh desert. Congregates at drinking spots in the morning.

An attractive, social, and vocal small songbird but often difficult to see in the dense scrub and bamboo clusters it prefers. Greenish above, white below, with black throat and golden patch in dark wings. Usually inhabits foothill and upper-elevation forests, but will descend to lower elevations during harsh winters. Loud and vocal: gives chirps, squeaks, trills, and chattering calls.

Tiny hummingbird with a white rump band and rusty tail. Adult male is stunning, with a flowing, glittering green beard ending in white spots, an iridescent green face, and a small crest. Female and young male are much plainer than male, but they typically have a white throat with dark patch in the middle, and lack the buffy or rusty tones on the underparts shown by females of several similar species. Distinguished from female Peacock Coquette by lack of streaking on the throat. Inhabits humid lowland and foothill forest and is quite scarce in most of its range. It was previously considered to be a subspecies of Festive Coquette.