Appearance:

Unmistakable bird in most situations. Azure blue above, and orangy brown below. Very short tail, and large head with long and heavy bill. Often overlooked despite it's bright colours, due to small size and obscuring habitat. Often one only catches a glimpse of the light blue back, when it flies away close to the water surface in a whirring, darting motion.

Sound:

Most heard is the thin and penetrating contact call: A short "tzee", or disyllabic "tzee-tzu", with a ringing metallic quality. In excitement it is often alternated with ringing trills "tzeerrrrrrrrrr".

Contact call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

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-sound:Dawid Jablonski, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

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

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC