Sandstone Shrikethrush

Large and brownish francolin with yellow-orange legs, bill, and bare skin around the eyes. Also note the heavily striped and spotted neck and underparts and the strong facial pattern. Found in savanna and grassland habitats at middle elevations. Usually in pairs or small groups. The common vocalization is a series of several rough “kreek” calls. Similar in size, shape, and overall coloration to Double-spurred and Clapperton’s Francolins, but separated by the yellow-orange bare parts. 

A bright and colorful bee-eater; the red throat and white line under the black face mask render it unmistakable. Pairs and groups inhabit woodland adjacent to watercourses, hillsides, and scrub, especially near earthen banks, where nesting colonies are formed by up to 450 individuals burrowing into the dirt. They have one of the most complex of all avian societies, featuring families, clans, and pirates! A nasal rolling “ngyaaau” is the main vocalization.

A large glossy-black starling with a wedge-shaped tail and brick-red windows in the wings that are striking in flight. The male and female have black and gray heads respectively. Pairs and flocks prefer rocky outcrops, cliffs, and gorges, within the savanna zone. Similar to Chestnut-winged Starling, but found in different habitat, and separated by being chunkier, with a much heavier bill and broader tail. The vocalizations are characteristic loud liquid oriole-like contact calls and other musical whistles and warbles.