Gosling's Bunting

Odd and distinctive black, brown, and white babbler. Note the patches of bare black skin on the cheek and the rufous nape. Found very locally in arid savanna, especially in the thicker bands of mopane woodland along watercourses. Always in groups of several individuals. Raucous babbling call is frequently given, usually by a whole group in chorus. Shares black-and-white coloration with Southern Pied Babbler, but easily separated by the brown back, rufous nape, and bare cheek.

A fairly average-looking but geographically highly variable lark. The overall coloration ranges from bright rufous in the northeast to dull rufous in much of the range, to brown in many areas, but there is always a distinct pale eyebrow, some streaking on the breast, and rufous in the wings that is conspicuous in flight. Pairs are resident in both arid and moist savanna, preferring softer sandy soils where they walk and run, digging in soft sand for insects and seeds. When breeding, the male sits up on a prominent perch singing a canary-like song that usually starts with a couple of introductory notes and is followed by a jumbled warble of buzzy but melodious notes. The song may include imitations of other bird species, and is sometimes also given in flight. Similar to several other lark species, but more rufous than most, and lacks bright white edges to the tail. Gillett’s Lark is also quite rufous, but Fawn-colored Lark lacks its rufous crown and cheek patch. Fawn-colored Lark also has a longer and slimmer bill than Horsfield’s Bushlark. Similar to Sabota Lark, but Fawn-colored has a plainer face pattern and shows a rufous wing panel.

Small flycatcher with a long tail, which is often held cocked. Has an olive back and whitish underparts. Note the two yellow wingbars and the white eyebrow. A range-restricted species found in a few higher-elevation forest fragments, where it forages in the subcanopy and often accompanies mixed-species flocks. The song is a fast series of high “dju” notes.