Katanga Masked-Weaver
Ploceus katangae
This red-eyed masked-weaver has a plain olive-green back and pink-brown legs. The breeding male has a black face mask, with the black band on the forehead above the bill varying from broad in the south to narrow farther north. Female and juvenile are dull and inseparable from other masked-weavers. Pairs and colonies are localized residents of reedbeds, wetlands and adjacent woodland, in a narrow global range between northeastern Zambia and southeastern DRC. The breeding males of Katanga and Southern masked-weavers are very similar, but the former are smaller, have some saffron around the masks, and have darker green backs and rumps; breeding male Tanganyika and Lake Lufira Masked-Weavers have more burnt-orange around the face and underparts, and ranges do not overlap.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Ploceus katangae
- Authority
- (Verheyen, 1947)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Genus
- Ploceus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Blue Paradise-Flycatcher
Terpsiphone cyanescens
A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of lowland forest understory on Palawan and neighboring islands. Has a blue bill, eye-ring, chest, and head with a slight crest at the back. Back, wings, and tail are blue in the male and rufous in the female. Female is distinctive. Male is similar to Black-naped Monarch, but larger, and lacks the black mark on the back of the head. Song consists of a rapidly pulsating series of fairly high-pitched nasal notes that increase in volume.
Wahlberg's Eagle
Hieraaetus wahlbergi
A small brown eagle with a slighter head and weaker beak than in larger brown eagles. A short crest gives the head a distinct squared-off look. In flight its crucifix-ilke shape is distinctive: straight-edged wings and a long straight-edged tail are most often held closed. Also occurs in pale and intermediate morphs, but dark, chocolate-brown coloration is the most common. Movements are complex, but it is mostly an intra-African migrant, breeding in the south (August to March) and occurring year-round farther north. Inhabits woodland, savanna, and farmland, hunting a broad range of vertebrate and insect prey both from perches and on the wing.
Banded Kestrel
Falco zoniventris
Atypical kestrel that is marked more like a small hawk, with a gray back and a barred belly. Uncommon to rare Madagascar endemic that is found patchily across the island in and adjacent to forest. Absent from most of the east and center of the island. Sits motionless on prominent perches for long periods. Flights are short, low, and infrequent. Call is a quick rolling “tr-r-r-r.” Larger and chunkier than Madagascar Kestrel, gray rather than rufous, and with broad bars on the belly. Separated from sparrowhawks by big-headed kestrel shape and upright posture.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.