Furtive Flycatcher

furtive - fur·tive adj \ˈfər-tiv\ Definition: a: done by stealth : surreptitious b : expressive of stealth : sly Origin of FURTIVE French or Latin; French furtif, from Latin furtivus, from furtum theft, from fur thief, from or akin to Greek phōr thief; akin to Greek pherein to carry First Known Use: 1612 Synonyms: sneaky, shady, shifty, slippery, sly, sneaking, stealthy (Definition provided by Merriam-Webster Dictionary) This is a Furtive Flycatcher, one of the 11 endemic flycatchers of the Philippines. This uncommon endemic is confined to the western and northeastern parts of Luzon in the Zambales Mountains and the Northern and Southern Sierra Madres and is found usually in dense second growth particularly climbing bamboo. As the name implies, it is highly secretive, and the drab brown coloration helps it blend in its dark, dense undergrowth habitat. Like most secretive forest birds, this one is best located by its faint high pitched 2-3-note call, (similar to its Mindanao relative - the Little Slaty Flycatcher) given while perched motionlessly in the dense bamboo tangles. This Furtive Flycatcher will be one of the first of many videos that we will be featuring to highlight one of the new birding destinations in Northern Luzon: Camp Sawa in Penablanca Protected Landscape, Cagayan Valley. Be sure to come back regularly to see videos of birds from this excellent site: Rufous Hornbills, White-lored Oriole, Golden-crowned Babbler and biggest "jewel" of the Philippine forest floor - the stunning Whiskered Pitta and many more. To know more about Camp Sawa - read a local birder's experience here. Furtive Flycatcher, Ficedula disposita Camp Sawa, Penablanca Protected Landscape, Cagayan Valley, Luzon, Philippines