Santa Cruz Fantail

A small bird of foothill and lower montane forest. Olive-green back, yellow throat and under the base of the tail, whitish belly and white eye-ring. Races vary, some with a green face and thin eye-ring, others with black face and a broad eye-ring. Moves in flocks in the canopy. Very similar to New Guinea White-eye, but Black-fronted usually has black around the face and yellow throat more demarcated from its white underparts. Voice, a typical, white-eye warbling song and a descending “piuu” call.

Small, remarkably nondescript cisticola. The back can be vaguely streaked in breeding plumage, and is more heavily streaked in non-breeding plumage. There are two bands across the tip of the tail, one buff and one black. Found in a variety of grassy habitats, including savanna, forest edge, woodland openings, and scrub. The song is two or three high notes in a descending series: “tsee-tree-tro.” Also gives a faster, rollicking series of many consecutive notes. Very similar to Rufous Cisticola, but generally has colder and browner coloration, and shows some streaking on the back.

A sparrow-like weaver. Red-hooded breeding males are distinctive, but females and non-breeding males are drab. A rare Mauritius endemic that is found in and adjacent to humid forest and woodland. Can be very similar to Red Fody. Breeding male Mauritius Fody lacks red on the back and belly, though molting male Red Fody can match this pattern. Females and non-breeding males very similar to Red Fody, but Mauritius Fody is darker and more greenish, with a longer, slimmer, slightly curved bill. Also similar to female House Sparrow, but distinguished by the thinner bill. Calls include high, silvery notes and lower-pitched “vet” notes. Both are sometimes given in a series.