Indigo Flycatcher

Medium-sized sunbird with strikingly different male and female plumages. Males have a green head and back, a purple-and-maroon band across the breast, a white belly, and yellow-orange shoulder tufts that are usually hidden. Females are very plain brown, with a paler belly. Found very locally in miombo broadleaf woodland. Very similar to White-bellied Sunbird, but male distinguished by broader purplish breast band, yellow-orange shoulder tufts, and blackish markings on the iridescent green of the face. Female darker and less marked than female White-bellied Sunbird.

When seen in good light, shows spectacular purple-and-green coloration. In dull light, looks dark, but still shows red bill and feet, pale blue forehead shield, and white undertail. Juveniles are pale brown. Found in freshwater wetlands with thick vegetation, especially water lilies. Inconspicuous and shy, and will rarely emerge for long from thick cover. Call is a mournful wailing. Similar in coloration to African Swamphen, but slimmer and smaller, with a much smaller bill. Also similar to Eurasian Moorhen, but slimmer and smaller, with brighter coloration, red legs, and no yellow tip to the bill.

Large songbird with long decurved bill. Male almost completely black, with green and blue metallic sheen on belly, throat, and crown. Female brown above, buff below, with a sparse scaly pattern on chest and belly and a pale eyebrow. Inhabits rainforest and nearby drier forest in northern Queensland (i.e., around Cairns). Call a loud explosive hiss, often repeated. Males display from a prominent upright stump or snag, holding wings high above the head, flashing bright yellow gape, bobbing, raising wings individually, and swaying.