Arabian Sunbird

Fairly common in semi-open habitats of tropical lowlands, usually in pairs or small groups. Feeds on the ground and in trees, often flipping its tail sharply upwards; may associate loosely with grackles, but usually not mixed in with other blackbids. Distinctive but lacks obvious field marks: plumage is wholly black with a slight velvety sheen; note the sharply pointed bill, and dark eyes.

A skulky, dull brown warbler with a long and graduated tail, a pale grayish eyebrow, and a throat that is lightly streaked. It creeps around mouse-like in thick undergrowth and tangles in forest and forest edge. It is also found in isolated pockets of scrub, often adjacent to streams, and is frequently detected and identified by its song, mostly delivered between September and December: 2-3 sweet “tsiit” notes followed by a loud trill of 15-20 harsh “tchui” notes. It also has a strident chipping alarm call “tddd-ddr-ddr-ddr-ddr-tt.” The similar Knysna Warbler differs from Barratt’s Warbler by its shorter tail, darker underparts, less pronounced throat streaking, and different song.

A tame and often conspicuous resident of thickets and tangles in a wide variety of habitats. Males are black with a red throat and vent, and females are buff and gray with rust on the wings and vent. The male is similar to the St. Lucia Black Finch, which has pale legs rather than black and lacks the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch’s red throat and vent. The female could be mistaken for a St. Lucia Black Finch or a female Black-faced Grassquit. The female black finch has a gray rather than brown crown and has pale (not dark) legs. Female grassquits are olive, not brown above and are smaller. The typical song is a series of three to seven “wheet” notes. Common calls include “chuk” and “tseet.”