Ghana Cuckooshrike
Lobotos lobatus
A spectacular cuckooshrike that resembles an oriole, with a yellow-green back, wings and tail, a dark head and bill, and large fleshy orange wattles under the eyes. The sexes differ: the underparts of the male are apricot and those of the female are yellow; she also has a less contrasting brownish head. Juvenile is like the female but barred above, with a less distinct head pattern. A rare bird found singly and in pairs in the canopy of primary and secondary lowland forest, often near water. Moves stealthily through the canopy, where it joins mixed-species parties; flight call is a thrush-like “tsik.” Differs from forest orioles by having a dark (not red) bill and fleshy wattles under the eyes.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Lobotos lobatus
- Authority
- (Temminck, 1824)
- Order
- Bucerotiformes
- Family
- Campephagidae
- Genus
- Lobotos
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
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Illadopsis distans
A chunky, mid-sized, remarkably drab babbler with a white throat and grayish breast. Found in the understory of moist forest at low and middle elevations, usually in small groups. Shy and skulking; rarely seen unless searched for. Similar to African Hill Babbler, but distinguished by the paler brown-and-white rather than solidly gray head. Most often detected by voice. The male gives two sweet whistles in a rising pattern: “troo-tyeah”, usually accompanied by quiet chittering calls from other group members.
Amethyst Woodstar
Calliphlox amethystina
Tiny, short-billed hummingbird of forests, forest edges, and savanna woodlands. Both sexes are green on the back with a white band across the rump, but males have glossy pink throat and a deeply forked tail. Females have a white throat, a short tail, and cinnamon flanks and undertail.
Apapane
Himatione sanguinea
A blood-red Hawaiian honeycreeper found on all of the larger islands. Smaller and darker red than the Iiwi, with a shorter black bill and white under the tail. Juveniles are brown instead of red. Sometimes abundant in native forest at high elevations and also occurs at lower elevations in some areas where it usually stays high in the forest canopy. Large numbers may congregate in a flowering tree. Sometimes holds the tail cocked up. Often flies in flocks, sometimes high above the forest. Song consists of 2–3 soft notes followed by a reedy trill: “dee-der-di-di-di-di.”
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