Black-winged Cuckooshrike

Small, short-tailed, most similar to Warbling Vireo, but brighter: look for yellow wash on underparts, brightest on throat and undertail, and dark line through the eye that connects to base of bill. Dull individuals can be very difficult to distinguish from Warbling Vireo, but Warbling usually brightest yellow on flanks, not throat. Similar to Red-eyed Vireo but with shorter bill and yellower below. Breeds in deciduous forests, especially areas with younger trees including birches or aspens. Migrates through a variety of wooded and brushy habitats; winters in Central America. Song nearly identical to Red-eyed Vireo. Feeds on insects; especially caterpillars.

Fairly small antshrike with a graduated, white-tipped tail. Males are gray overall with a black cap and a whitish center to the belly. Females have a cinnamon cap and back and are gray-buff below. Found in the lower levels of short transitional deciduous forests and white sand forests, avoiding humid forests. Sings a series of up to 20 clear notes, starting slowly and accelerating toward the end, finishing with a rattle. Very difficult to distinguish from the male of the Amazonian Antshrike, but differs in habitat. Female Amazonian Antshrike has a bright cinnamon head, not just the cap.

A chunky-billed brown finch with an electric-red rump, red tail, and red hood that extends from the throat to the nape; the hood of the male is larger than the female’s and extends down the flanks. Juvenile is duller than the adult. A secretive and uncommon resident restricted to Upper Guinea, found in pairs in swamp forest, scrub near creeks, and thickets near water in primary and secondary forest; also sometimes in cultivation. Song is a variable series of buzzes and whistles, and call is a strident “tsut…tsut.” Male Black-bellied Seedcracker differs from Crimson by having a black (not brown) back and belly; females and juveniles are almost identical but only overlap in eastern Ivory Coast.