Gray-capped Tyrannulet

White belly and underwings contrast with a large buffy-chestnut breast band framed in black. Long tail extensions are prominent in flight. Females have white throats; breeding males have solid black throats. Found on dry open plains and dried-out river and lake beds. Makes daily visits to water holes usually in the morning, often in large flocks. In flight, hurried and pigeonlike. Some populations are nomadic or migratory, while some are sedentary. Gives low, laughter-like calls, often while in flight.

Attractive jay of oak woodlands, dry scrublands, and mixed pine-oak. Royal blue above with gray-brown back and light grayish underparts. Flight style is often distinctive, a series of quick wingbeats followed by a stiff glide. Typically in small groups. Listen for scratchy, nasal calls. Regularly visits backyards and feeders. Most similar to Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay (and once considered the same species), but usually separable by range. Also note California Scrub-Jay is darker and more richly colored, with a more obvious blue breast band.

A medium-sized, streaky lark with a strong white eyebrow that gives it a capped appearance and a bold face pattern that is emphasized by a white crescent under the eye and strong moustachial streaks. The heavily streaked breast contrasts with a plain whitish belly and throat. The western races in South Africa’s Northern Cape and in Namibia have heavier, longer bills than their eastern counterparts. Pairs are resident in Karoo shrubland and arid savanna, preferring grassy areas. In spring and summer, the male sits up on a prominent perch singing a rich, melodious, variable song that often includes imitations of other birds. The Sabota Lark lacks the rufous wing panel present in Fawn-colored, Flappet, and Rufous-naped Larks.