Fatu Hiva Monarch

A big, chunky, relatively colorful rainforest greenbul. Mostly olive-green, with a reddish tail and a mostly gray head. The throat feathers are long and often puffed out; they are rich yellow in most of the range, but pale yellow in Nigeria. Found in the understory and at middle levels of rainforest and gallery forest. Usually in small, noisy groups that often join mixed flocks. Similar to Yellow-bearded Greenbul, but larger, with a puffier throat and some gray in the plumage. Similar to Red-tailed Greenbul, but larger, and never shows a pure white throat. Somewhat similar to Icterine Greenbul, but larger, and much darker on the breast and belly. The loud and distinctive call is a rising, two-part “truwa-treeeaa.”

The male of this small falcon is sooty gray with rufous-orange thighs and vent. The females are duller gray above, and their white underparts are well marked with dark chevrons. The combination of reddish-orange eyering, cere, and feet distinguishes them from all other falcons. These champion migrants breed in eastern Siberia and winter in southern Africa, often congregating in huge roosts on passage through India. They feed mainly on insects that they either catch on the wing or pick from the ground.

Little-known swift found mostly in mountainous areas, though flocks occasionally venture into lowlands. All dark with short square tail and angular wings. Namesake white spots on forehead and behind eyes are distinctive, but these can be extremely difficult to see. Many swifts are best left unidentified. Sex and age variation not well known; some birds, maybe juveniles, can show whitish scaling on belly. Occasionally seen singly or mixed with flocks of other swifts, but most often in monotypic flocks of up to several dozen individuals. Voice can be helpful with practice; typically a staccato chatter followed by “pew pew pew” notes like a laser gun.