West African Seedeater
Crithagra canicapilla
A medium-sized brown seedeater. Note the boldly marked face with a dark crown, a white eyebrow, and a broad dark-brown patch through the eye. The underparts lack streaking, but may show some brown blotching. Found in woodland, scrub, and cultivated areas. Often in pairs or small flocks. Similar to Reichard's Seedeater, but there is little overlap in range, and West African is easily separated by the unstreaked underparts. Somewhat similar to White-rumped Seedeater, but lacks a white rump, and has a strong facial pattern and unstreaked underparts. Gives a pretty, musical up-and-down song of whistles and trills which also sometimes includes imitations of other birds.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Crithagra canicapilla
- Authority
- (Du Bus de Gisignies, 1855)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Genus
- Crithagra
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Eastern Wattled-Honeyeater
Foulehaio carunculatus
A medium-sized, grayish-olive honeyeater with an olive cast to the throat, back, and wings. Note the large bright yellow wattle from bill base to neck. Found in most habitats. Similar to Kadavu Honeyeater, but has a much less extensively yellow face. Gives loud, chiming, melodious whistles and bell-like sounds.
Golden-chevroned Tanager
Thraupis ornata
Large blue and yellow tanager with a thinner bill than other similar species. Males are mostly blue with yellowish edges to the wing feathers and tail. Females are duller and grayer overall. Note the diagnostic yellow shoulder on both sexes. Found in the canopy of humid forests and forest edges, where it often accompanies mixed-species flocks or gathers in single species groups of up to 25 individuals.
Gray-backed Fiscal
Lanius excubitoroides
Large, long-tailed gray, black, and white shrike. The male has completely white underparts, while the female can show a small rufous flank patch. Large white patches at the base of the tail are conspicuous in flight. In the eastern part of the range, found in woodland, savanna, and cultivation. In the west, found only in arid thorn savanna. Always in small and conspicuous groups. The vocalization is given in chorus by a group: a fast, jangling mixture of slurred calls. Distinguished from other black-masked, gray-backed shrikes by the black line connecting the black wing and black face-mask, and by the large white patches in the base of the tail.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.