Yellow-lored Bristlebill

An active little bird with a bright yellow belly and a pale-tipped fan-like tail. Most common in foothill and submontane broadleaf forests, where it forages energetically and acrobatically in the middle and lower levels, often with fulvettas, warblers, and other small passerines in mixed-species foraging flocks. Very similar in shape to fantails but much smaller, and actually more closely related to tits. Song is a series of high “tsit” notes interspersed with twitters and trills. Call is often repeated at length, akin to a song, but much simpler, a series of high “tsip” notes.

The only thrasher in most of eastern North America. Fairly large and very long-tailed, with bright rufous upperparts and heavily streaked underparts. Also note white wingbars, staring yellow eyes, and slightly decurved bill. Usually skulky and difficult to see in shrubby habitats, especially second-growth woodland, thickets, and forest edge. Listen for its loud song, a long series of paired phrases, often containing mimicry of other species. Most similar to Long-billed Thrasher, but almost no range overlap. Brown Thrasher is brighter rufous above and lacks the contrasting gray face of Long-billed.

Small bunting with an attractive contrasting head pattern: black crown with red-brown central stripe and pale eyering. Rufous cheeks bordered by narrow black lines framing the eyes. In the nonbreeding season, less bright overall but white wingbars more conspicuous. Breeds in taiga forests and open tundra with scattered birches and willows, often near water; song is a pleasant two- or three-part series of bright, buzzy warbled notes. Winters in various open habitats, including fields, brushy roadside ditches, and gardens. Often attracts attention by its sharp clicking "zick" call note.