Purple Starling

Small songbird with bright yellowish upperparts and white “goggles.” Most subspecies have gray underparts; subspecies “unicus” of Sumbawa and Flores has a yellow belly. Compare with other white-eyes in various parts of their range; note present species combination of dark iris and yellow back. Inhabits a wide range of different wooded habitats across its range, including coastal scrub, mangroves, inland forests, and forest edge. Forages actively in small to medium-sized flocks, sometimes mixing with other species. Can be quite common on small islands. Twittering song is bright but unremarkable. Most frequently given call is a somewhat variable high-pitched, descending “djee.”

Small tchagra with a rufous back and buffy underparts. Males have a solidly black cap, and females a black-and-white striped cap. In the southern part of the range, the back is solidly rufous, while in the north, there is a black “V” across the shoulders. Found in a variety of moist habitats, including wet scrub, streamside vegetation, grassland, and marsh edge. Skulking, inconspicuous, and generally uncommon. The song is a short series of chatty whistles, given by the male in a display flight. Calls include low, raspy notes. Similar overall to other tchagras, but smaller and shorter-tailed.

A gigantic black hornbill of African rainforests, often seen or heard in the canopy feeding on fruiting trees. Undertakes seasonal movements, and can be surprisingly common at certain times of year and absent in others. The male is a large black hornbill with a large black bill. Females have much smaller, paler bills with a brownish hood over their head and neck. Tail is long and black with a white tip, a feature that separates this species from other large hornbills within its range.. Voice is a loud braying wail that can be heard from several kilometers away.