Vitelline Masked-Weaver
Ploceus vitellinus
A fairly small weaver with a chunky bill. Always shows a red eye and a dark bill. Breeding male is distinctive, with bright yellow overall plumage, a black mask, and a variable chestnut wash on the breast and crown. Females, non-breeding males, and juveniles are much duller, but show streaking on the back and pale underparts. Found in a variety of savanna habitats, often in flocks. Breeding male is similar to several other weavers, but can be separated by the chestnut rather than black crown and the red eye. Plumages other than the breeding male’s can be hard to separate from other weavers, but can be cautiously identified by the reddish eye and overall size and shape. Vocalizations are typical of weavers: “chek” notes and a sizzling “radio static” song.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Ploceus vitellinus
- Authority
- (Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Genus
- Ploceus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Knobbed Hornbill
Rhyticeros cassidix
A huge black hornbill with a prominent knob on the bill, conspicuous red “gills” on the sides of the beak, a turquoise-blue throat pouch, and a white tail. Males have a red casque and rufous neck, females a yellow knob and black neck. Juveniles resemble male, but with an entirely yellow casqueless bill. Found in pairs or groups in canopy of forested and wooded areas of lowlands and hills. Larger and more colorful than Sulawesi Hornbill. Gives powerful, short “krok” notes and a more drawn-out “oooo-aa-ooo-aaa.”
Buff-crested Bustard
Lophotis gindiana
A fairly small bustard of thick brush in dry country. The male has a buff crest that is usually hidden, and both sexes have a black belly. Found in dry savanna and thornscrub habitat with lots of bushes, unlike most bustards, which prefer grass-dominated habitats. Similar to Black-bellied and Hartlaub’s Bustards, but smaller, and prefers different habitats. Larger than Little Brown Bustard, with a black belly. The call is a rising and accelerating series of distressed-sounding notes that often precede the display: a quick flight up, then a plummet to the ground.
Variable Antshrike
Thamnophilus caerulescens
Small antshrike with extensive plumage variation among subspecies for both sexes. Found in the lower and middle levels of woodland and second growth. Typical males are dark gray with a dark cap, white wing coverts, and a white-tipped tail. Andean subspecies are black above and black or barred below. Females are rusty-brown, with most having well marked, spotted wingbars. The song is a loud and fast series of 7 “ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka” notes.
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