Papuan Sittella

An enigmatic dark forest weaver with a reddish-brown forehead and crown and a golden-orange collar on the hind neck. Male has reddish-brown extending to the breast and throat and golden streaks on the back, which the female lacks. Very poorly known and localized, restricted to primary and secondary lowland forest and forest edge in the Ituri and Semliki forests in the western Congo Basin. Although it is distinctive in appearance, it is possible that this species is a hybrid. The voice has been described as a weak chatter. 

A strange little bird of highland pastures, meadows, and dry steppe. Doesn’t resemble any other tit; looks a bit like a tiny corvid, and formerly classified as one. Dusty brown above and white below with a dark, curved bill. Often in small groups, sometimes associating with larks and snowfinches, as well as with pikas and marmots, whose burrows they use as shelter. Bold and adaptable, often foraging in and around villages and towns.

A small barbet that frequents forest, forest edge, and even urban areas with enough vegetation. Despite its name, the yellow throat is not often obvious; instead look for this species’ overall pale whitish underparts and black upperparts with a distinctive white moustache. Shows a small yellow rump when seen from above. Not all individuals have a yellowish throat; this is more common in the western part of the range. Similar to Red-rumped and Yellow-rumped Tinkerbirds, but note the Yellow-throated Tinkerbird’s overall bicolored appearance, its fast nasal song, and, in the west, its yellowish throat. Song is a typical fast, nasal tinkerbird song with short, rapid sets of 2-5 “po-po-po” notes given at approximately 5 notes per second, often with hesitant pauses between note sets.