Ethiopian Cisticola

A fairly small, long-legged bird of montane forest floor. Brown above with rufous edges to the flight feathers, buffy chest, white throat, and white spot behind the bill. Same general shape and habits as the Greater Ground-Robin, but Lesser occurs at lower elevations and is much smaller. Heard more often than seen. Song, a series of whistled notes, either rising, falling or the same pitch.

Tiny bird with a strong bill and short tail. Males are glossy blue-black on the head, back, and throat with a bright yellow forehead and belly, and a white undertail. Females are olive-green above with either a yellowish or white belly flanked by yellow depending on region. Found commonly in a variety of habitats from humid forests to mangroves and from agricultural areas to gardens. Often accompanies mixed-species flocks. The most frequently heard vocalization is the “teee-deee” call.

Distinctive, rather chunky plover of Patagonian coasts, grassy steppe, and lakeshores with stony and muddy substrates. Found singly or in small groups, sometimes associating with other shorebirds such as migrant Baird’s and White-rumped Sandpipers. Breeding plumage (male averages brighter) has a bright rusty cap, double black breast bands (upper band often incomplete in Falklands). Immature and nonbreeding birds are duller, but still have distinctive double brown breast bands.