Appearance:

Very similar to Thrush Nightingale. Anonymous, indistinct plumage and secretive behaviour makes it an easily overlooked bird (except when singing). Tail rufous brown, upperparts warm brown. Underparts buff and white. Throat without streaking. Tail more rufous, and contrasts less with the warm brown back, than in Thrush Nightingale. Overall a more smooth and clean appearance. Thrush-like behaviour despite the small size, with jumping gait, erect posture, raised tail and drooping wings.

Sound:

Alarm call either a thin, flycatcher-like "weeet", or a Chiff-chaff-like "piuu". Also a characteristic (but similar to Thrush Nighitingale) dry, rattling, frog-like "rrrrr". The song is the best characteristic to separate it from T. Nightingale. It consists of extremely resonant, full-bodied notes and lacks the, dry, rolling, rattling sounds of T.N. Most distinct species specific sound is the interwoven series of slightly ascending, plaintive notes (0.04 - 0.10 in recording). May mimic Thrush Nightningale!

Song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Medium sized bunting, resembling a compact Yellowhammer in shape. Head green with yellow markings and underparts orange-brown. Distinct and characteristic, yellow eye-ring and earth-brown (not rufous) rump in all plumages. Female like male, but duller coloured, with streaked head and chest.

Sound:

Distinct bunting-like timbre with very prominent harmonics. Song simple, but varies from region to region. Sometimes structurally similar to yellowhammer, but slower, more melancholic, and with more clearly audible harmonics f.ex. "tze-ti tze-ti tze-ti tweeeee". Beginning with repeated alternating notes (tze-ti) and ending on a lower note fading out with a rising pitch. Sometimes without the ending note (like yellowhammer). Calls: a vaguely House Sparrow-like "chepp", with a ringing quality, and a sharper cut-off "zeep".

Song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:Mick Sway, Licence,Link.