Black-headed Apalis
Apalis melanocephala
A well-marked apalis with dark upperparts, white underparts, and a long tail with white tips. There is considerable geographical variation; the darkness of the upperparts ranges from black to olive-gray; the length of the tail varies; and a buff wash on the throat may be present or absent. Throughout the range, females have paler upperparts than males. Found in humid forest and lush scrub at middle elevations. Can be confused with other apalises, but readily identified by a combination of range, vocalizations, strongly contrasting plumage, and the white tips (rather than clean edges) of the tail. The song can be a repeated single “swit” or a series of more complex two-note or three-note phrases.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Apalis melanocephala
- Authority
- (Fischer, GA & Reichenow, 1884)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cisticolidae
- Genus
- Apalis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Vertical migration
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds

Green-headed Oriole
Oriolus chlorocephalus
Old World oriole with mostly yellow plumage, a dull-green hood, and a red bill. Found in forest, forest edge, lush woodland, and adjacent secondary habitats, at low and middle elevations. Song is a series of slurred, liquid whistles, and calls include a raspy, up-slurred whine. Similar to African Black-headed Oriole, but with a good view, easily separated by the green rather than black hood. Often found in the same areas as Eurasian Golden and African Golden Orioles, but distinguished by being hooded rather than yellow-headed.

Timor Leaf Warbler
Phylloscopus presbytes
A small green-and-yellow warbler from Timor and Flores. Bill largely black, with a pale spot at the base of the lower part; legs dark. Olive-green above with a broad yellow eyebrow and sometimes also a faint central crown stripe. Throat white, contrasting with yellow underparts. Sometimes shows an indistinct single wingbar. Juveniles browner with no crown stripe. Found in hill and montane forest and edges in Flores, extending to lowlands and scrub on Timor. Single birds, pairs, and groups can be found in the canopy. Differs from Arctic, Japanese, and Kamchatka Leaf Warblers in dark legs, yellower underside, central crown stripe (if present), and lack of a second wing bar. Sings a short, high warble: “swit-swee-swit-swee.”

Reunion Bulbul
Hypsipetes borbonicus
A medium-sized dark gray bird with a white eye, a black cap, and a carrot-colored bill. Endemic to the island of Reunion. Found in humid forest as well as secondary forest and forest dominated by exotic trees; now mostly confined to middle and high elevations. Often in small, noisy groups. Somewhat similar to male Reunion Cuckooshrike, but easily separated by the orange bill and pale eye. The song is an unmusical but varied series of rattling, metallic, and scraping notes, often given from a high perch. The calls include a “chek” note and a long mew.
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