Tawny-browed Owl

A martin-like swallow with a bicolored plumage pattern of steel-blue upperparts and pale underparts. Pairs or small groups flit low over grassland, scrub, farmland, and open woodland, often near water. It is a migrant to the southern parts of South Africa, but it is resident elsewhere, with some poorly understood movements. The Pearl-breasted Swallow differs from House Martin and Gray-rumped Swallow by having a dark (not pale) rump and pale (not dark) underwings.

Fairly large manakin. Males are distinctive, with a black head and an orange-red center of the crown that is often concealed; upperparts olive and underparts rusty, contrasting with a pure white throat. Females have an olive head and a gray throat. Occurs in the understory of seasonally-flooded forest. The song is a loud whistle: “weeeooo”.

A beautiful malimbe locally distributed in Central Africa and restricted to lowland primary forest and its edges, where it is often found high above the ground in small groups or with mixed-species flocks, sometimes with other species of malimbe. Both males and females are wholly black with yellow vents and orange chests that fade to yellow at the edges. Males also have an orange crown and neck, giving them a collared appearance. Overlaps with several other species of malimbe, but distinguished by the yellow vent and orange chest with yellow edges. Calls are short, mechanical squeaks, while the song is a longer series of notes that incorporates dry rasps, similar to the songs of other weavers and malimbes. Rachel’s Malimbe appears to be particularly fond of musanga trees, also known as corkwood or umbrella trees.