Black-cheeked Waxbill
Brunhilda charmosyna
A slim, pretty waxbill with a bold black face mask. Found mainly in dry thorn scrub and woodland, especially in grassy areas, usually in pairs and small flocks. Difficult to separate from Black-faced Waxbill in the narrow zone of overlap in East Africa, but note that Black-cheeked Waxbill usually shows less black on the belly, a completely pale chin, and paler overall coloration. Calls include a dry “tsip” and “see” which are often doubled, and a whimsical, rising “tew-tweee.”
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Brunhilda charmosyna
- Authority
- (Reichenow, 1881)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Genus
- Brunhilda
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
California Thrasher
Toxostoma redivivum
Long-tailed with long, slender bill that is sharply downcurved. Drab grayish-brown without any markings. Paler on throat; warmer orangey color on belly. Often hard to see when lurking in dense shrubs. Sings from prominent perches. Song is seemingly endless and complex. Forages primarily on the ground. Range restricted to dense brush and woodland in California and Baja California.
Papuan Black Myzomela
Myzomela nigrita
A small honeyeater of foothill forest canopy and edge. Male is uniform jet black and female dull brown with a red forehead and chin. Similar to male Black Sunbird, but male Papuan Black Myzomela lacks the iridescence and white underwings. Similar to female Red and Elfin Myzomelas but female Red has a red tail and female Elfin lacks the red forehead. Call, a simple, high-pitch “tsip!” like other myzomelas.
Plain Gerygone
Gerygone inornata
A tiny, warbler-shaped songbird confined to the eastern Lesser Sundas. Upperparts gray-brown; underparts clean, unmarked white. Note subtle white mark between bill and eye, and beady-eyed appearance. Juveniles washed yellow below. Inhabits forest, edge, mangroves, and scrub from coast to mountains. Sits high in the understory, singly or in pairs. Unmistakable, as the only tiny gray-and-white warbler-like bird in range. Warbling song comprises a series of high-pitched, descending whistled phrases such as “pee-pee-ooo-ooo-pee-ooo-ooo”. Calls often and for prolonged periods.
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