Blue Finch

Distinctive and charismatic little bird with a bright orangey face and breast (easily hidden when facing away). Juvenile is very different, with bold pale buffy spotting on the back and breast. Found in a wide range of wooded habitats, including forests, gardens, hedges in farmland, and heathland, usually fairly near cover. Hops perkily on the ground, pausing to look around, often flicking its wings and cocking its tail. Also feeds by dropping to the ground from low perches, snatching up prey and flying back up to a shady perch. High-pitched song is highly variable, and incorporates a range of warbles and trills. Subsong is a rambling warbling series often incorporating odd fizzing and twittering notes. Calls include a dry “tic”, often given in bursts, as well as a thin, high-pitched, descending alarm call.

A large, long-tailed raptor of lowland and montane forest and clearings. Commonly seen in flight soaring in circles over the canopy with wing and tail feathers spread, showing strong barring. The only similar looking raptor that regularly soars is Pacific Baza, but Long-tailed Honey-buzzard has a streaked chest and lacks the buffy underwing and belly. When perched, similar to Doria’s Goshawk, but has yellow eyes and white legs. Usually silent.

A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of montane forest and subalpine shrubs. Dull gray-brown underparts and head with contrasting rufous rump and dark wings. Two forms occur. One with a gray brown tail, the other with a dark tail with a broad rufous band on the end. Mixed pairs often occur. Forages fairly low with tail and wings spread. Similar to female Black Fantail, but Dimorphic has more gray-brown underparts and lacks the black central tail feathers. Song, a tuneless jumble of tinkling notes.