Red-fronted Coua

This charming species is fond of pine woods where it is often found creeping along branches and trunks in a manner similar to that of the Black-and-white Warbler. Also visits flowers. The very similar Yellow-throated Warbler has less extensive yellow on both belly and face as well as a thicker eyeline, more distinctive white patch behind the cheek, and shorter bill. Song is a sweet “chutty, chutty, chutty, swee, swee, tsoo, tsoo.” Call is a single high “chip” or “tsit” like that of a Yellow-throated Warbler.

A small sunbird. The male is dark overall, with a pale lower belly and orange tufts at the shoulder that are sometimes hidden. The female is plain gray-brown with a paler lower belly. Singles and pairs prefer arid scrub and savanna, feeding on insects and nectar. The species is nomadic and can irrupt in large numbers into areas where it is normally irregular, often on the fringes of its range. The female Dusky Sunbird has paler underparts than the similar female Southern Double-collared Sunbird.

Distinctive and attractive, but a rarely seen denizen of fresh and brackish wetlands, especially with shallow water and low to knee-high grasses; also found on lakeshores with taller reeds and rushes. Occasionally seen feeding quietly at edge of vegetation, but mostly seen when flushed from close range. Flies up silently with stiff flicking wingbeats and brief glides, long legs trailing, and drops back to cover usually not far away. Note bold white spots on wings and droop-tipped bill. Related to jacanas, not closely related to the typical snipe.