Western Thornbill

An ebony shadow trailing obsidian tresses. Medium-sized drongo with two extravagantly long tail feathers tipped with plumes, the shape of which vary throughout its range. Glossy black overall with red eyes. Juvenile duller and lacks streamers. Can be confused with the larger Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, but Lesser is crestless and oddly flat-headed, with a more square-ended tail. Inhabits mid- to high-altitude tropical forests, where it forages primarily under closed canopies, not venturing out into the open as frequently as Greater Racket-tailed. Joins mixed flocks. Impressive vocal range, giving highly variable songs that include bouncy hoots, ringing whistles, and harsh nasal notes, among others; also mimics other species.

A large gray-brown oriole with a straight, heavy bill. Main field mark is an ill-defined dark mask on the feathered face. Underparts paler than upperside. Juveniles display rufous-edged wings. Singles or pairs can be found in forest, forest edge, mangroves, and woodlands in lowlands and foothills. Similar to Buru Friarbird, but dark facial area is feathered, not bare; bill shape is thick and straight; and tail is shorter. Variable song consists of around three fluty notes, often rising and loudest on final note: “ku-wuWOOO.”

A plain, brownish, long-tailed flycatcher-like thrush. The tail is blackish with white corners. Found in the understory and at middle levels of humid forest. Perches upright and feeds like a flycatcher by snatching prey or catching it on the wing. Similar to White-tailed Ant-Thrush, but has a more upright posture and more flycatcher-like behavior, and is not usually found on the ground. The song is a slow, rising series of several mournful whistles. The call is a scolding series of several buzzing “kweee” notes.