Ashy Cisticola

Medium-sized, typical nightjar, with a strong rufous collar. Both sexes have small pale marks in the outer wings and large ones at the tail corners that are white in males and buff in females. Found in a variety of habitats, including savannah, woodland, forest, and plantations. Song is a distinctive series of whistles: “dear lord, deliver us!” Most similar to Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, but darker, with a brighter and more distinct rufous collar. Male has less white in the wing and more in the tail than Rufous-cheeked Nightjar. Female has larger buff tail corners than Rufous-cheeked Nightjar.

Small tan flycatcher of river beaches; terrestrial, or perches on low shrubs. Tan above, lighter whitish below, with a black tail with white outer tail feathers. Overlaps with the similar and often more common Drab Water Tyrant. Compared to that species, Little Ground-Tyrant has lighter underparts, no facial pattern (unlike the black eye line and pale eyebrow of Drab Water Tyrant) and white outer tail feathers contrasting with black inner tail feathers (as opposed to uniformly brown). They often flush and move in low flight along river banks, exposing their diagnostic tail patterns. Prefers wide, open beaches and mudflats along rivers to steep river banks. Known to wander when not breeding, when it can be found in a variety of open habitats.

Large jay with piercing yellow eyes and stiff forehead feathers. Note the blue patches above and below the eyes, contrasting with the black face. Favors scrubby areas and savanna, but also found in riparian forest and second growth, where usually seen in small noisy groups. Vast vocal repertoire includes a frequently-given melodic and metallic call “chyup-chyup." The similar Plush-crested Jay has a blue nape and a larger crest.