Black Cuckooshrike
Campephaga flava
Small, slim cuckooshrike in which males and females are strikingly different. Males are almost completely black with an odd pale patch at the base of the bill; some have a yellow shoulder Females are gray on the back and pale below, with heavy markings throughout. Partially migratory and found in a variety of woodland and savanna habitats. Quiet and unobtrusive. Often found in pairs. Call is an incredibly dry, high-pitched trill. Male separated from male Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike by its black or yellow rather than red shoulder. Females are very similar, but female Black Cuckooshrike has a mostly pale undertail and a greenish back.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Campephaga flava
- Authority
- Vieillot, 1817
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Campephagidae
- Genus
- Campephaga
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Turnix tanki
Hardly bigger than a sparrow, this odd little ground bird has a disproportionately loud song. The booming hoots the female gives during the breeding season are often the easiest way to find this species in the open grassy habitats it occupies. Females are more vividly colored than males, with a bright orange breast and nape, yellow belly, white throat, and speckled gray upperparts. Males have a faded version of the same general color scheme, but have less spotting on the breast and a tan throat.
Helmeted Woodpecker
Celeus galeatus
Fairly large woodpecker. A usually rare inhabitant of extensive humid forests. Note cinnamon face, red head with a prominent crest, and white stripes on the side of the neck. Solid black back and wings, and heavily barred below with a pale rump. Males have a red moustache. A mimic of the much larger Robust Woodpecker.
Malagasy Pond-Heron
Ardeola idae
Chunky, short-legged heron. All white with a black-tipped blue bill and bright red legs in breeding plumage. Dark brown with white wings and belly in non-breeding plumage. Found in a variety of freshwater wetlands, though generally rare. Distinctive in breeding plumage, but easily confused with Squacco Heron in non-breeding plumage, when Malagasy Pond-Heron can be carefully distinguished by the much darker brown color on most of the body, which contrasts sharply with the white belly and wing.
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