Bachman's Sparrow

The male is a beautiful and unmistakable sunbird with a pale yellow throat, an iridescent green cap and chin, a black breast band, and a chestnut belly. The color of the upperparts varies geographically, being chestnut-brown in the west and blackish-brown in the east. Females have a faint pale eyebrow and heavy streaking below. Found in lowland rainforest, gallery forest, plantations, and gardens. Female similar to female Johanna’s Sunbird, but has a shorter bill. One characteristic call is a loud “chee-uu.” The song consists of series of squeaky whistles in a simple pattern. 

Large, distinctive marsh dweller, elusive and often difficult to see in the heavily vegetated wet fields and marshes it inhabits. Male is unmistakable, with black body, brown-edged wing coverts, and red-and-yellow bill with raised, spiky red frontal shield (unlike smaller moorhen). Females and immature are similarly large but speckled brown above with tan faces, and lack male’s frontal shield. Males are very vocal when breeding, producing liquid-sounding gulps comparable to a water bottle emptying. Both sexes make a range of incisive, guttural clucking and creaking calls, as well as a sharp “keek” in alarm.

Small rail of forest understory. Shy and elusive bird that is unlikely to be seen by those not expressly looking for it. Both sexes show a red hood and tail. The rest of the body is black with white spots in the male, and brown with buff barring in the female. Found in the wet understory of thick forest and adjacent scrub and gardens. Call is a series of several hollow hoots, often given repeatedly. Most other flufftails are not found in forest. Separated from Buff-spotted Flufftail by the white spots of the male and the red hood of the female.