Northern Marquesan Reed Warbler

A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of lowland forest and scrub on Palawan and neighboring islands. Almost entirely black with a glossy purplish sheen, white outer tail feathers, and white on the lower belly and under the base of the tail. There are no other species of similar shape and size on Palawan. Heard more often than seen. Song is a pleasant, medium-pitched warbled melody.

Uncommon inhabitant of humid evergreen forest in tropical lowlands. Found singly or in pairs, typically perched quietly and rather upright at middle to upper levels inside the forest. Often with mixed-species feeding flocks acting as a sentinel, giving alarm calls when a hawk or other predator appears. Striking black-and-yellow male suggests an oriole in pattern, but note stout bill. Female much duller, with grayish head and stout bill.

Long-tailed parakeet, mostly green with a scaled breast; has a narrow blue forehead and lacks a red patch on edge of shoulders. Feeds in small groups in the canopy of both humid non-flooded and seasonally flooded forests, as well as forest edges. Most often seen fleetingly, flying in noisy flocks through the sub-canopy. The similar Painted Parakeet has a larger blue patch on the forehead and red shoulder patch. The calls of Painted and Santarem parakeets are apparently indistinguishable.