Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher

A small-bodied, mostly brown dove with a long, uniformly brown tail. Found in almost every forested habitat including regrowth around villages and mangroves. Darker wings contrast with a lighter tan-colored body and head. Uniform brown tail separates it from the similar Black-billed Cuckoo-Dove, which has a heavily barred tail and rump. MacKinlay’s is separated from Slender-billed Cuckoo-Dove in its much darker head and paler undertail, especially in flight. Frequently heard calling, giving its typical namesake “coo-koo, coo-koo” call, sometimes likened to “let’s go, let’s go.”

A small seedeater of the Ethiopian highlands. The back and tail are brown and the head and underparts are heavily streaked. Note the faint narrow pale eyebrow stripe and the white spot below the eye. Found very locally in steep and rocky montane areas with grassland or heath, usually in small groups. Similar to Streaky Seedeater, but much smaller, slimmer, and smaller-billed, with a less strongly marked head. The calls are quiet twitters and rattles. 

A medium-sized dark gray bird with a black cap and a carrot-colored bill, endemic to the island of Mauritius. Found in remnant humid forest as well as secondary forest and some forest dominated by exotic trees; now mostly confined to middle and high elevations. Often in small, noisy groups. Somewhat similar to male Mauritius Cuckooshrike, but easily separated by the orange bill and many other details. The song is an unmusical but varied series of rattling, metallic, and scraping notes, often given from a high perch. The calls include a “chek” note and a long mew.