New Ireland Munia

An attractive thrush of moist foothill and montane coniferous and mixed forests. Favors areas with dense, shady understory and extensive ground cover. Combination of gray head, black wings, and orange back and belly is unique; most other large forest thrushes in its range are dark overall. Usually seen singly, but will occasionally forage in small groups. Song, as with many other thrushes, varies individually, but usually consists of short, breathy individual phrases, often whistled. Gives slick “tsk, tsk” in alarm, as well as hard rattling calls.

Small, active bird found locally in the southern Peruvian Andes. Brownish gray with a red cap, a white-streaked face, breast, and back, and a white eyebrow. Note its tiny, thumbtack-like bill and its fairly long, pointed tail. Forages in and near Polylepis patches, where it makes quick, short hops through dense bushy vegetation. Its song is a dry, rapid descending trill of chips.

A fine-billed finch with a notched tail. Neatly patterned mostly in gray and white, with black wings and tail and a rufous lower back and thighs. Male has a striking white eyebrow, lower cheek patch, wing notch, and rump. Female is duller, with a less striking facial pattern; juvenile is buffier and streakier. A rare resident in the hilly Daalo and Mash Caleed regions of northern Somalia, where it prefers degraded juniper forest and other woodland and scrub between 1200 and 2400 meters of elevation. Forages on the ground in pairs or small groups, and perches on exposed branches and dead trees. Sings a typical canary-like song with whistles, trills, and buzzes. Calls include a high-pitched “tsee-wit.” Streaky juvenile could be confused with a canary, but white in the wing is distinctive.