Whitehead's Swiftlet

A plump ball on sticks. Quite common and easily heard, but shy and rarely seen in the open. Striking plumage renders this species unmistakable in range: bright rufous head, white throat, and streaked underparts. Sexes alike. Found from subtropical zone up to the temperate zone in the Andes, within forest but also edges, thickets, second growth, and bamboo patches. Slightly less elusive than other antpittas; can sometimes be coaxed into the open by imitating its three-parted whistled song.

A large, long-billed sunbird of forest and forest edge, sometimes venturing into gardens and farms. Both sexes have a distinctive long and mostly straight bill with a noticeable droop towards the tip. Males are iridescent green above and dark below with a green throat, a red-and-purple chest, and a maroon belly. Females are light brown above with a subtle eye-line, and pale with fine brown streaking below. Most likely to be confused with Splendid Sunbird, but look for the male’s green throat and maroon rather than red belly, and the female’s finely streaked underparts. Call is a descending whistled “tiuw.” The song is a complex jumble of whistled notes, not unlike that of other sunbirds.   

Elegant, cryptic, long-legged, upland shorebird. Shows a dark upperwing and a largely white underwing in flight. Found in savanna and woodland, including some miombo. Nocturnal species that spends the day roosting under a thick bush. Calls at night with a repeated metallic “chik.” Somewhat similar to Double-banded Courser but is nocturnal and has a more complex and striped head and chest pattern.