Iberian Gray Shrike

A chunky brown bird with a short tail and a big, heavy bill. It has strong streaking above and arrow-like spots on the breast. The facial pattern is messy, with dark cheeks and no distinct eyebrow. Juveniles are often paler overall. Similar to Indian and Singing Bushlarks, but Jerdon’s has stronger streaking, looks rounder, and has a shorter tail than either of the others. Similar in proportions to Bengal Bushlark, but Jerdon’s Bushlark is paler, with browner wings. It inhabits open scrub and often perches on trees and wires. The song consists of high-pitched whistles, buzzy trills, and rattles.

Widespread but uncommon, this is a fairly large and dark hummingbird with a slightly decurved bill. Male is mostly green with black extending all the way down the throat and belly. Females have white underparts with dark line running down the center. On both sexes, note the purplish tail. Extremely similar to Green-breasted Mango but very little range overlap. Found in open habitats including forest edge, open woodlands, and shrubby second-growth.

A small and dainty woodland-dwelling kingfisher with powder-blue tail and flight feathers, creamy collar, dark eye-stripe, and streaky brown crown. Singles and pairs are inconspicuous in the mid-canopy of parkland-like savanna and woodland, preferring more arid thornveld than other dryland kingfishers. It draws attention to itself with a loud, ringing “teeep-tiiii-rrrrrrr” and rollicking “trrreerrr-treeerr-treeer” calls.