Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrush

A small hornbill with a black body, a white tail, and a strong pale bill with a flat, grooved casque on top. The male has a rust-colored head and breast, while the female’s head and breast are black. Found only on Narcondam island. Feeds on berries and fruits in tall trees. Calls include short, wavering notes with a somewhat nasal quality, as well as barks and grunts. 

A medium-sized woodpecker with a streaky breast and throat. Golden coloration in the tail is shared with many of Africa’s woodpeckers, and is thus a poor identification feature. The male has a reddish crown and moustache; the female has a faint moustache and dark crown marked red only toward the back of the head. Pairs are resident in savanna, woodland, and forest edge, exploring large branches in the lower and middle canopy while foraging for insects. Often joins flocks. A nasal shrieking “wheeaa-aaaa” call often betrays its presence. Mombasa Woodpecker is smaller than Golden-tailed Woodpecker, with a plainer white throat and a distinctive call.

A small, sharp-billed warbler-like bird. Note the yellow patches on the throat and undertail and the white spectacles around the eye. Common in woodland, coastal scrub, and mangroves on the islands of Aldabra and Astove. Usually found in hyperactive pairs or flocks. In its small range, easily identified by the white spectacles. The most common calls are a high-pitched, rising rattle and a descending “chew” note, which is also the main component of the quiet, chatty song.