Red-fronted Prinia

A fairly large dove of foothill and low-elevation montane forest canopy. Pale gray from the belly to the sides of the chest and neck, with a sooty back and cheek, an orange chest patch with dark red below, and a pink crown and mark across the flight feathers. Similar to the Yellow-breasted Fruit-Dove, but Flame-breasted has an orange rather than yellow chest and a dark pink crown. Song is a deep, rising-then-falling “oo-woo.” Takes flight with loud wing claps.

A small waxbill that is matte brown above and red below with a red bill and pale undertail. There are diagnostic pale bars along the sides of the breast, but these can be difficult to see clearly. Note that sexes are similar, unlike in some other firefinches. Found in a wide variety of open habitats, including broadleaf woodland, thickets, savanna, cultivated areas, and scrub, usually in pairs or small groups. Similar to Red-billed Firefinch, but separated by the darker brown markings on the head and the bars along the sides of the breast. Further separated from other firefinches by the pale rather than black undertail. The common call is a low “chip” and the song is a rapid twittering warble. 

A small, dumpy endearing chat. The color varies from pale gray-brown to nearly white, with a very pale rump that extends onto the outer tail feathers to form a distinctive V-shaped black wedge in the tail. Pairs prefer open flat plains in the Karoo and Namib, prospering in the most barren environments where few other birds persist. In Namibia, the similar race of Karoo Chat is longer-tailed, avoids hyper-arid barren environments, and has a distinctive dark tail with white outer tail feathers that reach the tail tip.