Sooty Babbler

Small coucal with a black cap and buffy underparts. There is a localized West African population that shows black underparts, save for a rufous belly. Found in a variety of habitats with a thick understory, including tall grassland, scrub, thickets within savanna, and forest edge. Skulks in the undergrowth, occasionally emerging to sit on an exposed perch, especially when drying out after a rainstorm. Song is a descending and accelerating series of deep “boop” notes. In the small area of overlap with Burchell’s Coucal, separated by the plain black rather than barred top of the tail. Immature has a streaked back and resembles White-browed Coucal but is more rufous below. Much smaller than Black-throated and Coppery-tailed Coucals.

A small active species found high in moist woodlands. Frequently flicks its tail and often gives impression of being entirely heavily streaked. Blackpoll Warbler can be somewhat similar, but fall birds are tinged with some degree of yellow below, and spring males have a bold white cheek. Black-and-white Warbler is also similar, but it has bold black-and-white stripes (as opposed to distinct streaks as on Arrowhead Warbler) on crown and is usually found creeping along tree trunks or limbs. Call is a hard chip with a slightly squeaky quality. Song is relatively quiet and variable consisting of “tsi” notes; often with two or three introductory notes followed by one or two notes at a lower pitch then several notes at original pitch, given in rapid succession.

Small brownish owl with dark ‘glasses’ surrounding eyes. Fairly common in a wide variety of habitats on Tasmania. Similar to Southern Boobook, and range overlaps in southern Victoria during the winter; Tasmanian Boobook is smaller, darker, and has more extensive spotting and a different voice. Call is a familiar ‘boo-book’ with the second note lower pitched than the first, higher-pitched and smoother than Southern Boobook.