Western Miombo Sunbird

Large black-and-white wagtail with an intricately and uniquely striped head pattern. Wings and outer tail feathers flash brightly in flight. Adult male is black-backed, while the female and immature have a duller gray-brown back. Simple song is a compilation of a few high phrases of whistles and twitters. Call is harsh and buzzy. Found only around flowing lowland rivers with braided rocky sections, specifically a unique composite of gravel and sand bars with low vegetation and boulders.

Odd, dark, green-and-gray cuckoo with a bright yellow bill. Found in thick habitats including forest, forest edge, and thickets. Skulks in the thickest parts of the mid-story, especially preferring vine tangles. Call starts with a hesitant series of high “kik” notes, eventually followed by a long, accelerating trill. Dark coloration and yellow bill are distinctive. Range does not overlap with the similar Blue Malkoha.

Small, pale brown, heavily-streaked cisticola. Plumage is darker in breeding plumage, washed-out in non-breeding plumage. Found in dry, open grasslands, including open stretches within savanna. Song is a mix of high-pitched peeps, scratchy lower notes, and “tic” notes. Extremely similar to Zitting Cisticola. Best distinguished by song, though subtle plumage differences include Desert’s more uniformly blackish tail and slightly streaked rufous rump.