Black-billed Flycatcher

Powerful dark brown seabird, resembles a dark, heavily built immature gull. Note eye-catching white flashes in the primaries when in flight. Adults have distinct pale mottling on the upperparts, which serves to separate them from adults of the very similar South Polar Skua. Juveniles are more uniformly colored, with warm-colored and largely unmarked underparts; note bulkier build and more powerful flight than Pomarine Jaeger. Breeds locally on moorland of islands and coasts in northern Europe, where aggressive near nests. Otherwise lives at sea, but may be seen from shore during windy conditions during migration periods. Feeds by pirating gulls and other seabirds, also by scavenging at fishing boats.

Nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of Red-billed and Brown firefinches. Breeding males are glossy black, while females and non-breeding males are streaky and brown on the back and pale below, with a bold facial pattern. The color of the bill is red in southeast Africa and whitish in western, northern, and central Africa. Found in savanna, scrub, farmland, and towns. Mimics the vocalizations of its host firefinches: low rattling series and high-pitched whistled notes. In southeast Africa, can be separated from other indigobirds by its red bill. Very similar to other indigobirds elsewhere on the continent. Breeding males can be separated by their all-black wings that lack a pale brownish panel. The mimicked vocalizations of its host species can also help confirm identification. In non-breeding plumage, similar to non-breeding Pin-tailed Whydah but separated by red legs.

Rather small, attractive thrush with bold whitish eyebrows, a variable orangey patch on each flank, and a yellow bill base. Shows rusty-orange underwings in flight. Breeds in wooded and forested habitats, especially with birch; in winter found mainly in open woodland, farmland with hedges, orchards, and parkland. Often in flocks, sometimes mixed with Fieldfares and other thrushes, feeding out in fields or in fruiting trees. Rich and lovely song is a series of burbling trills and whistles. Calls include a high buzzing “tseer” and short rattled phrases.