Shelley's Greenbul

Distinctive warbler with bold black-and-white stripes over entire body. Adult males have black throat and cheek; females and immatures have white throat and paler cheek. Creeps along branches like a nuthatch, searching for insects. Breeds in mature deciduous or mixed forests; winters in a wider variety of wooded habitats as far south as northern South America. Listen for high pitched “squeaky-wheel” song. Breeding male Blackpoll Warbler is potentially confusing, but note different behavior and face pattern.

Smallish flycatcher-like bird endemic to Mohotani (also referred to as Motane). Male is glossy black overall, while female is white-bodied with a black hood, black-and-white-striped wings, and a faint tan wash on the belly. Juveniles are gingery tan-brown overall with darker patches. Note long tail and pale gray bill. Inhabits dry forest throughout the island, ranging from the lowlands up into the hills. Vocalizations include a sweet whistle and a sharp, chattery “jirjirjirjirjir.”

Attractive and boldly marked apalis. Shows a throat pattern of dark and white stripes. Males have a black mask and are more colorful overall. Their crown color varies geographically from gray to black. Females have mostly olive-green upperparts. Found primarily in montane forest, though locally in lower humid forest in West Africa. Pairs feed actively in the canopy and sometimes join mixed-species flocks. The song is a distinctive, ringing up-and-down series of “juu-jee” couplings. Separated from all similar species in its range by the yellow underparts.