Little Woodswallow

A medium-sized greenbul often found in flocks in forest and forest edge with other bearded-greenbuls. Like all bearded-greenbuls, will sometimes puff out its throat feathers. Often forages actively in the foliage. Shows a grayish head, a bright white throat, yellow-green underparts, and olive-green upperparts with a reddish tail. Nearly identical to White-bearded Greenbul, and can occur with it in the same mixed-species flocks in Central Africa. Not all individuals can be safely identified. Listen for Red-tailed Greenbul’s distinctive calls as they forage in the branches and leaves, and look for its brighter tail and, at close range, its bigger, wider bill. The species is vocal, frequently giving a “hup-chup-cheer-you-up!” or similar multi-parted variations. 

Small, crested, yuhina-like bird, frequently seen as a part of mixed flocks in a wide range of forested habitats. Upperparts yellowish green, underparts dingy gray except for yellow undertail coverts and whitish throat. Forages mostly in the upper layers of vegetation, from which its loud “nay nay” call is often heard.

Male’s elegant black-and-white facial pattern is unique. Female is plain, streaky brown all over with faint white eye-ring, a weak hint of the male’s facial pattern, and a small white spot on the “ears”. Breeds in rocky gullies, valleys, and hillsides at middle to upper elevations; winters at lower altitudes, in fields, scrubland, and open dry forest. Song is a series of twanging buzzy pulses: “TZI-TZI-TZI-TZI-TZI.”