Spot-crowned Euphonia

Small thrush-like bird with distinctive black-and-white tail pattern that is striking in flight. Breeding male has a black face, throat and wing, gray back and crown, and white underparts. Breeding female is duller, with a brownish crown and back, and usually a speckled blackish face and throat. Nonbreeding and immature birds are duller overall, though males retain their distinctive black throat. Breeds in the Atlas Mountains of northwest Africa, in areas of bare rock and short grass. Migrates south into the Sahel, where it spends the non-breeding season in a variety of open habitats such as grasslands and barren rocky plains. Tends to stay on the ground or on low perches. Jumbled-sounding song is quite variable, often including whistles, trills, and mimicry. Similar in appearance to Northern Wheatear, though male Atlas Wheatear is usually separated by its black throat. Separating females during migration and on the wintering grounds is usually difficult. Female Atlas Wheatear has a black “wingpit” and front part of the underwing, but this is hard to see in the field.

Large black parrot that is found in and around all types of forest. Often seen in flight, sometimes in small, loose flocks. Incredibly loud calls consist of rough squawks and low whistles. Can be very hard to separate from Lesser Vasa Parrot, but larger and bigger-billed, with a straight edge to the skin at the back of the bill. Vocalizations are lower-pitched and rougher than those of Lesser Vasa Parrot. Can easily be mistaken for a raptor in flight, but has all-black plumage unlike any raptor in range.

Rather plain, social bird of hilly and montane forests. Brown with a gray head and bright white eyering. Very similar in appearance to Huet’s and Yunnan fulvettas, both of which have a prominent black brow stripe; this feature is either extremely faint or absent in David’s. Forms large flocks, often with other species, which move around in the middle levels of forests. Gives chattering call notes.