Dusky Indigobird
Vidua funerea
Nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of African Firefinch. Breeding males are glossy blue-black, with a pale brownish panel in the wings, while females and non-breeding males are streaky and brown on the back and pale below, with a bold facial pattern. The color of the legs is red in South Africa and pale pink in the rest of the range. Found in savanna, woodland, and forest edge. Mimics the vocalizations of its host firefinches: a low metallic trill. Extremely similar to several localized indigobirds and the widespread Purple Indigobird. In South Africa, separated from Purple Indigobird by red legs. Elsewhere, breeding males are probably slightly less glossy but only separated with certainty by hearing mimicked vocalizations of host species.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Vidua funerea
- Authority
- (de Tarragon, L, 1847)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Viduidae
- Genus
- Vidua
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Restless Flycatcher
Myiagra inquieta
A sturdy songbird with fairly long tail and substantial bill. Glossy black above, bright white below. Female may show buffy patch on upper breast. Similar to Paperbark Flycatcher; best identified by range. Inhabits open woodland and wetland areas, usually forages near the ground. Compare Willie Wagtail. Calls loudly with a clear whistled "tui-tui-tui” and an incomparable buzzing scissors-grinder sound.
Lazuli Kingfisher
Todiramphus lazuli
A stunning blue-and-white kingfisher with entirely blue upperparts in both sexes. Female has white throat and pale blue breast and belly, but male shows more white, with pale blue confined to belly. Juvenile resembles dull male, with buff throat, spot near bill, and speckled breast and collar. Found singly and in pairs in lowland wooded areas, including cultivated areas and mangroves. Pale blue underside is unique among kingfishers in its limited south Moluccan range. Rowdy vocalizations include repetitive “ker-chick” series and “ki-ki-ki-ki…” calls.
Yellow-billed Grosbeak
Eophona migratoria
Medium-sized songbird of woodlands, neighborhoods, and parks. Male grayish brown with black head and wings, faintly orange flanks, and a dark-tipped yellow bill. Female similar but lacks the black head, has much paler orange on the flanks, and is an overall brownish tone. Male similar to Japanese Grosbeak, which has less black on the head, no orange on the flanks, and lacks the dark tip to the bill of most adult male Yellow-billed Grosbeaks. Often detected as it gives a hard "jik!" while flying overhead.
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