Brown-backed Flowerpecker

A dark, bulky, powerful, high-flying swift with a distinctly white throat patch and a contrasting grayish panel in the inner wing. It is resident in the northern part of its range and breeding migrant in South Africa. Masters of the air, foraging birds fly fast and can cover 1000 km/day, they gather at termite emergences and fires in order to hawk insects. The African Swift has a high-pitched screaming “zzzzzzzzzZZZZTTT” call. The similar Common Swift differs from African Swift by having a smaller throat patch and lacking a pale panel in the wing. Nyanza Swift is browner than African Swift and has a paler wing panel in the inner wing.

Antshrikes have proportionally large, flat heads and large, hooked bills, and they often cock their tails down. Fasciated Antshrike is widespread through Central and South America. Male is finely barred black-and-white all over with a more solid black cap. Female similar but with buffier ground color and rufous cap. Most often seen in pairs, and often moves higher than other antshrike species, at middle levels or even the canopy of thick edges and tangles. Can be difficult to get a clear view. Listen for series of mournful rising whistled notes.

Tiny bird of forest undergrowth, named for exceptionally broad bill (difficult to see). Very small and short-tailed. Brownish-olive above and pale yellowish below, with black pattern on cheek. Throat and breast uniformly buffy, without contrasting white throat. Crown dull rufous with hidden golden center. Sexes alike. Gives a very high insectlike trill. Usually seen singly or in pairs, always in the lower levels of the forest. Inconspicuous.