A large starling with a long tail and a strong bill. Body and wings dull brown. Head sooty with a greenish sheen. Pale-tipped wing feathers give a scaled appearance. Most common in lowland forest and coastal vegetation. Polynesian Starling similar but much smaller and paler below with a pale wing panel. Calls include a one-note screech, whistles, rasping, and squeaking. Wings are loud in flight.
Worstbird
Worstbird(s) of Jan 2022
Other birds voted for in Jan 2022
Somaliammer
A beautiful bunting of dry country. Note the black-and-white facial pattern, the gray back with russet streaks, the gray rump, and the yellow breast with pale sides. Found in dry thorn savanna, often in pairs. Similar to Golden-breasted Bunting, but found in drier habitat, and range overlap is minimal; look for Somali Bunting’s overall paler coloration, narrower black stripes on the face, grayer back and rump, and pale sides. The song is usually a short series of the same two-note whistled phrase, repeated. One call is a long, ascending whistle.
Grünrückenschnäpper
A colorful, green-suffused flycatcher. Adult male looks like a faded version of a male Narcissus Flycatcher, with bright yellow eyebrows and underparts; greenish tinge to the upperparts is distinctive and unmistakable. Overall paler and less contrasting patterning, combined with prominent dark eyes, conveys a gentle appearance. Female very similar to female Narcissus, but has a faded-yellow belly and a green-tinged head and back; brighter female Narcissus Flycatchers can have a green tinge, too, but it is usually weaker and restricted to the upper half of the back. Breeds in hilly and submontane mixed broadleaf forests, and winters in open forests and forest edges. Song is a rambling series of somewhat scratchy-sounding warbling notes.
Goldbauchsittich
Small grassy-green parrot that feeds on the ground. Bright green and yellow with blue wings and yellow lower belly with a central orange patch, yellowish throat, and thin mid-blue line between eyes. Compare Blue-winged Parrot (olive-green), Rock Parrot (duller olive-green) and Elegant Parrot (yellow-green, more distinct yellow patch in front of eye). Migratory, breeding in tree hollows on button grass moors in southwest Tasmania in summer, and wintering on saltmarsh in coastal Victoria and South Australia. Critically endangered and the subject of substantial conservation efforts. Calls include a soft buzzingchatter and a high-pitched, thin "ziiiit."
Gelbsteißbülbül
A medium-sized passerine that is conspicuous and noisy. Note the overall gray plumage, black head, and broad black tail. Common in all habitats including urban and suburban environments, cultivated areas, and natural ecosystems. Omnivore; feeds on fruit, invertebrates, and scraps. Often moves around in small, noisy groups or pairs giving a loud chatter. At dawn often produces a fine, flutey song.