Yellow-bridled Finch

A medium-sized brown seedeater. Note the boldly marked face with a dark crown, a white eyebrow, and a broad dark-brown patch through the eye. The underparts lack streaking, but may show some brown blotching. Found in woodland, scrub, and cultivated areas. Often in pairs or small flocks. Similar to Reichard's Seedeater, but there is little overlap in range, and West African is easily separated by the unstreaked underparts. Somewhat similar to White-rumped Seedeater, but lacks a white rump, and has a strong facial pattern and unstreaked underparts. Gives a pretty, musical up-and-down song of whistles and trills which also sometimes includes imitations of other birds.

Small bird, plump and compact with stout bill. Male and female both lime green with yellow belly and blue cap. Males have prominent yellow eyebrow. Usually seen in pairs or small flocks, often in association with a fruiting tree. Forages at all levels, most frequently the canopy. Listen for its single low-pitched whistle.

Small cisticola that is pale and buffy below, and dark on the back. The crown, back of the neck, and back are heavily streaked. Note specific habitat preferences, which can help with identification: found in seepage zones of seasonally wet grasslands, alongside but in wetter situations than Wing-snapping Cisticolas, but avoiding the seasonally flooded habitat of Pale-crowned Cisticola. Very similar to Wing-snapping and Pale-crowned Cisticolas, but longer-tailed than both, and further distinguished from Pale-crowned in breeding plumage by the streaked crown. Also similar to Zitting and Desert Cisticolas, but has a different voice, and is darker on the back. Song consists of nasal notes, given from a low perch (termite mound or grass stem) or occasional brief display flight at grass top height. In contrast to other small cisticolas, it does not have a true aerial display flight.