White-throated Barbtail

The white-throated barbtail is 14 to 15 cm (5.5 to 5.9 in) long. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a whitish supercilium, brownish ear coverts, and whitish streaks on the side of the neck. Their crown is dark gray-brown with a blackish scalloped appearance. Their back, rump, and uppertail coverts are dark gray-brown with a rufous tinge. Their wings and tail are dark fuscous; the ends of the tail feathers lack barbs, giving a spiny appearance. Their throat and upper breast are whitish and the rest of their underparts dark brownish with whitish streaks. Voice: The subspecies of the white-throated barbtail have different songs. That of the nominate is "low-pitched, doubled or tripled, whistled notes or a bubbly series of low, soft, reedy whistles, we-whúr, we-whúr, we-héét". That of P. t. pariae is "a continuously repeated short, rapid, almost rattled but variable series of 2–6 subdued mellow notes, pu-dut...pu-du-du-dut...pu-du-dut....".