Geelvink Fruit-Dove

The only munia in its range that is found only close to forests. Male is black on face, throat, and center of breast; crown to lower back is brown with whitish shaft streaks. Female is much like male, but often more spotted on rump. Juvenile is unmarked brown above and lacks the distinct black on the face and breast. Birds in Sri Lanka have more scaly underparts, while Indian birds have buff flanks and lower breast. Found in forest edges, grasslands, gardens in the hills, and tea plantations across all altitude belts.

Small, plump, pale plover; the color of dry sand. In breeding plumage look for thin broken black collar across chest, black stripe across forehead, orange legs, and orange bill with black tip. Nonbreeding and immature birds have black bills and sandy-colored breastbands. White wingstripe visible in flight. Notably paler than other small plovers, with the exception of Snowy, from which Piping is distinguished by thicker bill and orange legs. Sometimes seen near other shorebirds, but rarely ventures far from the high, dry side of the beach. Often quite vocal; gives a sad-sounding two-parted whistle that drops in pitch: "pwee-doo." A species of great conservation concern, due to coastal development and disturbance at nesting sites on beaches.

Male distinctive, with long, lyre-shaped tail and white undertail coverts; shows white wing stripe in flight. Female warm brown with heavy dark barring; compare to smaller and rustier Willow Ptarmigan (known in Great Britain and Ireland as “Red Grouse”), which shows a solidly dark tail in flight. In early spring, males gather around dawn to display, fanning their deeply forked tails and fluffing their white undertail coverts while giving a low churring call. Habitat varies throughout range, but generally favors more open forests and forest margins, as well as upland steppes, heathlands, and moors. In southern parts of range, such as the Alps, favors denser forests with conifer stands.