White-bellied Woodstar

A plump, coastal shorebird that is glossy black in plumage with salmon-red legs and reddish eye, eye-ring, and bill. The juvenile is duller, with pink-brown bill and grayish-pink legs. Conspicuous on rocky coastlines and sandy shores, where it feeds on invertebrates like mussels, limpets, and worms. It is often first detected by its distinctive, high-pitched piping “pleek” and “peeka-peeka” alarm calls. Similar Eurasian Oystercatcher differs from African Oystercatcher by its white belly and throat.

A nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of African and Black-bellied Firefinches and Brown and Dybowski's Twinspots. Breeding males are glossy black with blue iridescence and a pale brownish panel in the wings. Females and non-breeding males are streaky and brown on the back and pale below, with a bold facial pattern. The bill is whitish and the legs very pale purplish. Found locally in lush woodland, savanna, and cultivated areas. Given current knowledge, can only be confidently identified by mimicked vocalizations. Each male parasitizes only one of the four host species and imitates its vocalizations, often mixing them into a scratchy jumble of high-pitched notes. 

A medium-sized bird of montane forest canopy. Plump, with a bulge on the head and a somewhat narrow bill. Male is all black with some greenish iridescence in front of the eye, at the back of the wing and a yellowish edge to the mouth. The female is mainly olive green with rufous wings and tail. Male is similar to Short-tailed Paradigalla but lacks the yellow wattle. Female is similar to female Crested Satinbird and MacGregor’s Bowerbird but it is smaller, overall color is olive green rather than brown and lacks Crested Satinbird’s pale eye. Male gives a far-carrying, nasal whistle from an exposed perch.