Black-and-rufous Swallow

Warm brown bird with buffy streaks on head and breast; hitches up tree trunks. Generally longer tailed and longer billed than a woodpecker. Very similar to many other species of woodcreepers. Focus on bill: long, fairly thick, and almost straight; generally pale grayish with fleshy tones, but darker on top edge. Listen for song, a long series of clear whistled notes fading slightly at the end. Found in wooded habitats, often in more open forest, edge, or second growth.

A fairly small bird of lowland and foothill forest and edge; endemic to Samar, Leyte, and Bohol, though lumped with Calabarzon Babbler under “Black-crowned Babbler” by some taxonomies. Has a gray back and cheek with fine pale streaks, dark wings and tail with white outer tail feathers, white underparts, a pale rufous throat, and a black crown. Note the slender black bill. Often joins mixed-species flocks and sometimes hangs upside down while feeding. Somewhat similar to Green-backed Whistler, especially from below, but smaller, with a pale rufous throat and a black crown. Voice includes a medium-pitched “poo piuu!” with the second note downslurred.

Slim, pale greenbul. The yellow streaks on the underparts are always hard to see. The crown color varies geographically: can be olive-green or gray. Found in moist forest, especially montane forest. The most distinctive attribute of this species is its behavior: creeping along midstory branches in almost woodpecker-like fashion, frequently flicking out one wing. Gives nasal calls and a descending series of more musical whistles. Easily confused with other greenbul species, but much paler overall than most greenbuls, and wing-flicking behavior is diagnostic.