Spotted Morning-Thrush
Cichladusa guttata
A boldly marked thrush-like bird with a brown back, a rufous tail, and white underparts heavily spotted with black. Found in areas of dense undergrowth within savanna, woodland, and scrub habitats. A fairly shy species that feeds on the ground, though it can sometimes be tame around lodges. Somewhat similar to scrub-robins, but easily separated by the lack of white in the wings and tail. Most easily detected by song: a rollicking, musical, whistled combination of repeated notes and short repeated phrases that can also incorporate imitations of other species and is often given as a duet by a pair.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Cichladusa guttata
- Authority
- (Heuglin, 1862)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Cichladusa
Range and habitat
The spotted palm thrush is located in most parts of Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. They can also be found in the easternmost parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the southernmost parts of Sudan. These birds commonly dwell in habitats along the dense undergrowth within savannas, woodland, dry watercourses, thickets, and scrub habitats.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Black-faced Antbird
Myrmoborus myotherinus
Short-tailed antbird of forest understory. Both sexes have black face. Males are gray with white wingbars; females are brown above, buffy below, with cream wingbars and a white or buffy throat. Forages singly or in pairs low in the undergrowth of mature forest. Usually inhabits more mature forest than similar White-browed Antbird, but there is some overlap. Note differences in facial pattern; males lack the white eyebrow and females lack the orange eyebrow seen on White-browed Antbirds. Female Black-faced Antbirds also have browner underparts than White-browed. Listen for an even-paced series of 5–7 whistles that is slightly higher in the middle. In the southern part of its range, these whistles are pure-toned; in the north, they are harsher.
Flores Green-Pigeon
Treron floris
A small, largely green pigeon with bold, scattered pale markings on its wings. Adults show largely pale bills while immatures have dark bills. Small groups found in varied habitats with trees, from forests to open woodlands. In most of its range it is the only Treron green-pigeon, but where it overlaps with Pink-necked Green-Pigeon, note the extensive pale markings on the wing of Flores Green-Pigeon and the absence of a pink-orange breast patch. Song is a series of soft whistles, “woo-wo-OW,” rising at end. Also gives harsher guttural notes.
Bahama Woodstar
Nesophlox evelynae
A small, long-tailed hummingbird of wooded and scrubby habitats including gardens; most often found feeding on flowers or at hummingbird feeders. Note the male’s iridescent purple throat and forehead and its long, forked tail. On females, note the orange sides and tail edges. The male Cuban Emerald is all green while the female is dingy white below unlike the Bahama Woodstar. The male Ruby-throated Hummingbird lacks the Bahama Woodstar’s long tail and has a red (not purple) throat, while female Ruby-throated has little, if any, orange below and no orange on the tail. Calls include a sharp, metallic “tit” or “tit-it”; often given in series, sometimes quite rapidly. Males also make a metallic sound with their tail during display flights.
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