White-winged Snowfinch (Montifringilla nivalis)
Thrush Nightingale (Luscinia luscinia)
Unmistakalble where there is no overlap with Snow Bunting (almost always). Anonymous brown bird with white wing patch when seen foraging on ground. Views in flight are dominated by the white on wings and tail. Fairly long-tailed and passer-like. Distinguishable from Snow Bunting in all plumages by the combination of grey head and brown back. Bill dark in breeding season, and yellowish in winter. Female similar to male but slightly duller coloured. Does not perch in trees. Erect posture and frequent tail-flicking when foraging on the ground. Flight less loose than Snow Bunting, with more frequent glides on stiff wings.
Sound:Rich repertoire. Song a staccato, variable phrase, consisting of short burst of sharp chattering in uneven tempo. The timbre is ringing, rich in harmonics and partly rolling. Among the various contact call the commonest are a high-pitched, sharp "zeet", a deeper, Brambling-like "veet, or a sparrow-like "peea". Alarm call a rolling "trr-r-r-rt", resembling Crested Tit.
Alarm, contact call, song:
Distribution:
Xeno-canto: map
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCPhoto by Paul Cools. CC-license
Anonymous, indistinct plumage and secretive behaviour makes it an easily overlooked bird (except when singing). Upperparts brown-grey, tail rufous brown. Underparts dull white. Throat with faint streaking on each side. Very similar in appearance to Nightingale, but tail is not as rufous, and contrasts more with the grayer/brownish back. Overall more drab appearance. Thrush-like behaviour despite the small size, with jumping gait, raised tail and drooping wings.
Sound:Alarm call alternates between a thin, high pitched, "piuu", and a characteristic dry, rattling, frog-like "rrrrr". Song a highly distinct mix of extremely resonant, full-bodied notes and species specific, dry, rolling, rattling sounds. Can only be confused with Nightingale, but lacks this species' interwoven series of slightly ascending, plaintive notes.
Song:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CC