White-rumped Seedeater

An inconspicuous little bird (plumage blends well with bark) of woods, forests, and gardens with larger trees. Usually seen as singles or pairs, creeping along trunks and branches using its tail for support, like a mini-woodpecker. Probes in crevices for insects and spiders, and often spirals up then drops to low on the next tree and spirals up again. In areas where Short-toed Treecreeper also occurs, the two species are often not safely distinguished without considerable experience; look for “uneven steps” on the wing, whiter sides, and slightly shorter bill. Listen for high, thin “tseee”s and trills. Song is a lovely series of falling whistles, typically preceded by short trills and concluded with a flourishing rising whistle.

A small, entirely blackish swift with a slightly dusky throat and a deeply forked tail. Flies rapidly over lowland forest, occasionally gliding briefly. Most often found over lowland forests, where it nests in abandoned swallow nests such as those of Forest Swallow. In profile, similar to African Palm-Swift or Scarce Swift, but Bates’s Swift has wider wings and a bigger body, and is overall much darker.

Oddly shaped warbler with a long, broad tail and a flat-topped head. Watch under the tail for a series of buffy crescents at the tip of each progressively shorter tail feather. Found in thick, wet grassland. Usually very skulky, except when perched out after a rain, or in display flight. Song is a slowly repeated whistle. Dull coloration could make for confusion with other warblers, but the shape is distinctive.