Principe Seedeater

Rotund chickenlike bird with salmon-colored face and thick rusty streaks on sides. Look for dark belly patch, which is obvious on male but reduced or lacking on female. In flight, look for bright orangey tail. Widespread and fairly common throughout much of Europe and central Asia, although populations declining in many areas. Introduced and well-established in North America, primarily in the west but also locally to eastern Canada. Look for flocks on the ground in open areas, especially agricultural fields and edges. Shy and inconspicuous; can be difficult to spot.

A mid-sized, green-backed woodpecker. Males have a red crown and moustache; females have a white-streaked black forecrown, a red hindcrown, and a white-spotted black moustache. Varies geographically; in most of the range, the underparts are plain buff with some fine speckling, but in the eastern part of the range, the underparts are white with bold spotting. Found in savanna habitats, including broadleaf Guinea savanna and dry thorn savanna. Usually in pairs, which give a series of “kreek” notes in a loud duet. Very similar to Nubian Woodpecker in the narrow zone where their ranges meet, but Fine-spotted is distinguished by having a less streaked face and less heavily marked underparts. Similar overall to Golden-tailed Woodpecker, but has spotted rather than streaked underparts.

Small canopy antwren. Gray head, with yellowish underparts, and wingbars; males have a fine black eyeline and cap. Less apparent field marks are its small reddish shoulder patch and reddish back patch. Moves more sluggishly than greenlets or tanagers, which it often joins in mixed-species flocks. Its song is an accelerating series of high, thin notes.