Variable Sunbird

Medium-sized woodcreeper with a short, slightly decurved pinkish bill. Found in humid and montane forests, including Araucaria forests, where it typically forages in the canopy. The rufous back contrasts with the whitish throat and prominent eyebrow. Note the buff streaking on the darker brown head and the scaled belly. Similar to Scaled Woodcreeper, which has a duller crown and a less rufous tail.

Beautiful little gem of a flycatcher. Note small dark mask, whitish belly, and iridescent aquamarine blaze on the forehead. Sexes similar. Immature birds are patchy-looking, with pale buffy spots scattered throughout the body. Compare with other blue flycatchers; note present species’ mask, size, and white belly. Forages at all levels of montane forest, often descending close to the ground or perching on posts and stumps close to paths. Can be quite tame and friendly, tolerating close approach. Joins mixed flocks. Song is a halting up-and-down series of high-pitched whistles. Calls include a dry chatter and harsh “tchak” calls.

A chunky, dark thrush-like bird. It often looks black, but good lighting reveals a dark gray-brown coloration. Large white panels in the outer wing are inconspicuous or invisible when perched, but conspicuous in flight. Found in grassland, open savanna, and farmland, often in areas with lots of termite mounds. Somewhat similar to Sooty Chat and White-fronted Black-Chat, but easily distinguished by the large white patches in the outer wing. The song is a repetitive mix of conversational phrases. The call is a single pure “chwee.”