Tahiti Swallow
Hirundo tahitica
Handsome swallow endemic to Tahiti and Moorea. Adult is iridescent blue above and smoky gray below, with an orangish throat and forehead. Could potentially be confused with Tahiti Swiftlet, but note brighter coloration and different body structure. Occasionally seen close to coastal cities, but more frequently encountered in “wilder” native forest habitats. Sometimes perches on telephone lines.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Hirundo tahitica
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Genus
- Hirundo
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds

Mexican Violetear
Colibri thalassinus
Rather large, overall bright green hummingbird of highlands. Favors pine-oak forest and edge, especially overgrown clearings and roadsides with dense flower banks. Fairly common and is especially conspicuous when singing. Song is a jerky, metallic, chipping song given tirelessly from an exposed twig at middle to upper levels in trees. When feeding often stays fairly well hidden within flowers. Note overall deep green plumage with dark violet cheek and breast patches, and broad dark tail band.

Empress Brilliant
Heliodoxa imperatrix
Impressive hummingbird of Andean cloud forest in northwestern Ecuador and western Colombia. Large, thick-billed, and long-tailed, with golden sheen on the belly. Male has a violet throat patch, and female has white on throat and breast. Young birds have a rusty wash on face and throat. Favors very wet, epiphyte-laden forest, and visits feeders in some areas.

Somali Fiscal
Lanius somalicus
A small black, white, and gray shrike. The sexes look similar. Note the white patches at the bottom middle and near the end of the wing. Along with the white outer tail, these can be conspicuous in flight. Found in dry savanna and grassland. Perches up conspicuously, often in pairs. Very similar to Taita Fiscal, but has multiple white patches on each wing instead of just one. The repetitive vocalizations include scratchy notes, usually higher and rougher than those of Taita Fiscal, often delivered in a rising pattern.
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