Tanimbar Bush Warbler
Horornis carolinae
A long-billed brown warbler with a prominent buff eyebrow, a russet cap, a white throat, and a gray underside. An arboreal species that inhabits thick understory of forest, edges, bamboo thickets, and scrub. Restricted to Yamdena in the Tanimbar Islands. Unstreaked upperparts separate it from the other brown warbler-like birds in range, Tawny Grassbird and Zitting and Golden-headed Cisticolas. Distinctive song, characteristic of bush warblers, begins with a building, ascending three-part whistle with a significantly drawn-out third note, before jumbled fourth note: “tu-tu-tuooooo-chyop.” Also gives abrupt “chup” calls.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Horornis carolinae
- Authority
- (Rozendaal, 1987)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cettiidae
- Genus
- Horornis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Antillean Palm Swift
Tachornis phoenicobia
An aerial feeder with a rapid and erratic flight; typically found feeding low over open habitats. Its black-and-white plumage, long slim wings, and long forked tail are unique within its range. Chimney Swifts are entirely gray and have shorter, wider wings and a stubbier tail. Swallows can be distinguished from Antillean Palm-Swift, even at a distance, by flight style—swallows lack the snappy wingbeats of the palm swift. Call is a high, metallic twitter.
Aberdare Cisticola
Cisticola aberdare
A large and relatively colorful cisticola endemic to Kenya, found locally in montane grassland and moorland. The cap and back of the neck are dull rufous with darker streaking, the back is heavily streaked with black, and there is a rufous panel in the wings. As with other cisticolas, habitat and vocalizations are important to identification. Very similar to Stout Cisticola, but has streaking on the back of the neck. The common vocalizations are a quick series of several squeaky notes, and a series of lower liquid notes.
Yellow-wattled Lapwing
Vanellus malabaricus
Elegantly long-winged brown lapwing. Breeding adult has clean black cap, bright yellow facial wattles, and a white belly. Non-breeding adults and juveniles are more mottled overall and lack a solid black cap. Note contrasting wing and tail pattern when in flight. Prefers dry open areas, often well away from water. Gives a loud rasping tern-like call and a loud “cheeeee’it” in alarm; generally not as noisy as other lapwings.
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