Brown-chested Martin

An unusual bird of dry plains and grasslands that looks like a cross between a dove and a grouse. Both sexes have a long, needle-thin tail, a rectangular black belly patch, and overall sandy-brown plumage. The male sports an orange-and-gray face and a pink tinge to his wings and back. The female is browner, with heavy speckling on the neck and nape. Flies in flocks, often gathering in groups of up to thousands strong at reliable waterholes.

Dark thrush-like bird of rocky streams and gullies in mountains and foothills. Male shows faint blue gloss in good lighting, while female is entirely dark brown. Frequently fans tail while perched. Can be quite tame, and often perches up on manmade structures such as fence posts and streamside stairways. Gives high whistled calls, including a shrill screeching “shreeee” and a more mellow whistled note.

A small bird of foothill forest understory and midstory. Dark brown upperparts, paler underparts and characteristic pale bill. Races differ. Some with spotted throat and whitish or buffy underparts. Searches actively for insects in small groups or mixed flocks, often flicking its tail. Co-occurs at elevations with other scrubwrens, including Gray-green and Perplexing, but Pale-billed has an obvious pale bill. Song, an up-and-down “see-saw” repeated. Call, a scratchy chattering.