Northern Anteater-Chat
Myrmecocichla aethiops
A chunky, dark thrush-like bird. It often looks black, but good lighting reveals a dark gray-brown coloration. Large white panels in the outer wing are inconspicuous or invisible when perched, but conspicuous in flight. Found in grassland, open savanna, and farmland, often in areas with lots of termite mounds. Somewhat similar to Sooty Chat and White-fronted Black-Chat, but easily distinguished by the large white patches in the outer wing. The song is a repetitive mix of conversational phrases. The call is a single pure “chwee.”
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Myrmecocichla aethiops
- Authority
- Cabanis, 1851
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Myrmecocichla
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Southern Cordonbleu
Uraeginthus angolensis
A small gray-brown and powder-blue waxbill with a blue-gray bill. The male is bright with extensively blue underparts, while the female is paler, often with a grayish belly. Pairs and small flocks are resident in dry savanna, cultivation, and rural villages close to permanent water for drinking. The species may disperse during drought. It frequently gives a loud and distinctive high-pitched “tsee-tsee-tsee” call, especially when flushed. The similar male Red-cheeked Cordonbleu has a diagnostic red cheek patch and pinkish bill, but hybrids have been recorded.
Rufous-fronted Prinia
Prinia buchanani
Sandy-colored warbler with a long tail. Note white underparts, pale eyebrow, and rufous-tinged forecrown. Social inhabitant of dry open areas with scattered vegetation, such as plains and hillsides. Darts furtively between clusters of cover. Twanging repetitive song is given from atop an exposed perch while tail-wagging.
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeata
Medium-sized duck; smaller than a Mallard. Huge, spoon-shaped bill visible at a distance and in flight. Breeding males have dark green head, white breast, and chestnut sides and belly. Females buffy-brown with large, distinctive bill. Chalky-blue upperwing. Forages by sifting through the water, often swimming in spirals in groups.
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