Yemen Linnet

Large, unmistakable woodpecker. Mostly black, with red crest and bold white stripes on head and neck. Flies with deep, rowing wingbeats, almost like a crow but more irregular; also look for mostly white underwings and white patches on upperwing. Pairs inhabit mature deciduous or coniferous forests with large trees. Makes large oval-shaped holes in decaying trees to search for insects. Listen for slow resonant drumming and loud clucking calls. Occasionally visits feeders in appropriate habitat, especially fond of suet.

Rather local on seacoasts and remote islands south of Tierra del Fuego and on the Falklands. Favors rocky beaches and adjacent shoreline, especially with tussock grass clumps nearby (known as Tussacbird on the Falklands). Like other cinclodes, feeds on the ground, poking under seaweed, and can be very tame. No similar species in range: note dark sooty-brown plumage with only a ghosting of typical cinclodes face stripes and wing stripe. Some regional variation—bill has pale creamy patch at base on South American population and is all dark on birds in the Falklands.

A fairly small and slim weaver with a relatively slender bill. Breeding male is distinctive, with bright yellow overall plumage and a black-and-chestnut bib. Females and non-breeding males are much duller, but show streaking on the back and usually a pale base to the dark bill. Found in a small range in central Tanzania, in reedbeds along rivers, often in flocks. Nests colonially. Plumages other than the breeding male’s can be hard to separate from other weavers, especially Vitelline Masked-Weaver, but can be cautiously identified by their dark back, by their less yellow overall coloration, and by range. Vocalizations are typical of weavers: “chek” notes and a sizzling “radio static” song.