Speckle-fronted Weaver

Sporopipes frontalis

A small, distinctive, sparrow-like weaver. The crown is black with white speckles, the back of the neck and collar are pale rufous, and the face shows a black moustache stripe. Found in dry or moderately moist savanna and woodland, usually in small flocks. The most common call is a short trill. The song is a pipit-like long series of rattling whistles. 

Identification

The speckle-fronted weaver (Sporopipes frontalis) is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. It is found in Africa from Mauritania and Gambia in the west to Ethiopia and Tanzania in the east. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.

Taxonomy

Genus: Sporopipes; Family: Ploceidae; Order: Passeriformes.

Scientific name
Sporopipes frontalis
Authority
(Daudin, 1800)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Ploceidae
Genus
Sporopipes

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Behavior

Migration pattern: Resident species.

Conservation

Population trend: stable.

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

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Black-bellied Thorntail

Discosura langsdorffi

Tiny, coquette-like hummingbird. Males are iridescent emerald green with a black belly, bold white rump band, short crest, and long, straight tail feathers. Females are similar, but are duller below with a shorter tail. Compared to the similar Festive Coquette, females have darker plumage. Usually found in mature rainforest, where it forages at flowering trees at all levels of the forest.

Bull-headed Shrike

Bull-headed Shrike

Lanius bucephalus

A small, brightly colored shrike of forest edges and lightly forested fields and gardens. Adult male has pale-bordered black mask, mostly gray back and wings, blackish tail, and warm orange crown, nape, and wash on sides (worn birds less brightly colored). Female has brown back, less obvious mask, rusty crown and nape, and light barring below. Juvenile similar to adult female but lacks pale border around mask. Compared to juvenile Brown Shrike, Bull-headed has warmer orange tones, larger bill, and weaker mask. Song a harsh, raspy collection of notes (including imitations); call is a staccato chatter.

Rock Kestrel

Rock Kestrel

Falco rupicolus

Typical kestrel with a rufous back and underparts, barred tail, and a dark “moustache” mark on the face. Found in a wide variety of open habitats, especially in rocky areas. Spends much of its time on the wing, often hovering. Call is a high, repeated “kreek”. Very similar to Eurasian Kestrel, but little overlap in range, and Rock Kestrel shows paler underwings. Similar to Lesser Kestrel but slightly larger. Male Rock Kestrel also separated by its lack of pale gray on the top of the wing. Female Rock Kestrel has darker rufous underparts.

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