Red-winged Laughingthrush

The male is a striking, medium-sized, mostly dark bustard with a bold white cheek patch and a reddish bill. The female has a black belly and is elsewhere finely barred. In flight it has a conspicuous white window on both the upper and lower sides of the wing. Scattered individuals, sometimes associated in small groups, inhabit arid savanna and Karoo scrub. It singscalls a strident, ratcheting “kraak-kraak-kraak” which leads into a maniacal “raa-cha-ka-ka-ka....cha-ka-ka-ka” display as the male flies around 20–30 m above the ground, with legs dangling. In flight, Black Bustard’s lack of large white wing patches separates it from the similar White-quilled Bustard.

A medium-sized woodpecker with pale underparts that are covered with dark arrow-shaped markings. Has a bold facial pattern: crown is dark in the female and dark (forecrown) and red (hindcrown) in the male. Scarce and poorly known species that is found locally in lush patches of Miombo broadleaf woodland. Tends to feed on medium-sized and large tree branches. The calls include a weak rattling call, and a typical woodpecker “pik”. The drum is fast and repeated several times. Similar overall coloration to Bearded Woodpecker, but much smaller, without pale barring on the brown back, and with paler, arrow-marked underparts. Distinguished from other woodpeckers in its range by the unmarked brownish back.

A medium-sized bird of mid-montane forest. Yellow belly, olive back and white throat. Male has a black head and border to the throat. Female has a brown head and diffuse olive chest band. The male is similar to several other golden whistlers but lacks the yellow patch behind the head. Female is similar to Regent, Lorentz’s and Vogelkop Whistler’s but has white throat and brown head. Voice, a series of typical whistlerlike “chew!” or “whip!” notes that get louder and end with an explosive quality.