Sooty Flycatcher
Artomyias fuliginosa
Unusual small, chunky flycatcher. At a distance looks entirely dark, but a good view reveals a chocolate brown base color and paler brown streaking on the underparts. Has long, pointed wings and looks like a bit like a swallow in flight. Found in rainforest, where it perches up on dead trees, especially at the forest edge and around clearings. Often in small groups. Not very vocal, but does give a quiet, variable song of squeaks, whistles, and trills. Easily separated from other flycatchers by very dark plumage and unusual habits.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Artomyias fuliginosa
- Authority
- (Verreaux, J & Verreaux, É, 1855)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Artomyias
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Green-breasted Bushshrike
Malaconotus gladiator
A large, robust bushshrike with a massive head, a chunky hook-tipped black bill, and a pale eye; plumage is dull uniform olive, paler underneath, and head is gray. An uncommon resident endemic to the Cameroon-Nigeria highlands, found singly and in pairs in the canopy and at middle levels of primary hill and montane forest between 930 and 2300 meters of elevation, preferring steep slopes. Gives a low-pitched extended sorrowful “whhooooooo-lwe” song up to 10–15 times in succession, along with harsh clicks and rasps. Other similar large bushshrikes are yellow or orange underneath.
Slaty-backed Forktail
Enicurus schistaceus
The only forktail in its range for which the adult has a gray back and crown; pattern is otherwise similar to that of Black-backed Forktail, which it overlaps partially in range. White on the head is restricted to a thick eyebrow that reaches behind the eye--instead of a full crown--giving it a more small-headed appearance than White-crowned and Spotted forktails. Like other forktails, prefers fast-flowing forested streams.
Double-crested Cormorant
Nannopterum auritum
Dark body with orange bare skin at the base of the bill. Breeding adults are all black. Immatures and nonbreeders have paler breast. Dives underwater to catch fish. Swims like a duck in between dives. Finds open perches to spread wings and dry feathers. Can be in large flocks or solo. Most widespread cormorant across U.S. and Canada; also most likely to be seen inland.
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