Fire-fronted Serin

Stocky and large-headed with a shaggy crest. Bill is long, straight, thick, and pointed. Powder blue above with white underparts and blue breast band. Females have additional rusty band across belly. Almost always solitary, perched along edges of streams, lakes, and estuaries. Flies along rivers and shorelines giving loud rattling calls. Hunts for fish by plunging headfirst into the water, either directly from a perch or hovering.

Small brown woodpecker of lowland rainforest. Upperparts olive brown with small red spots (“stains”) on the shoulder (but these may be hard to see). Males have a red crown and nape. Found in a variety of humid forest habitats, including mature rainforest, secondary rainforest, and forest edges. Distinguished from the similar Little Woodpecker by its larger size, plainer face, and small red wing spots, as well as by voice; also, female has yellowish nape (gray in female Little). Red-stained also occurs in more mature forest habitats than Little, like mature rainforest and tall secondary growth (Little prefers dense riverside vegetation and successional growth). Call a fast series of high raptor-like yelps: “keer, keer, keer, …”, individual notes clearer and more descending than those of Little Woodpecker.

Males appear overall gray, with a darker back and cap and a paler belly and throat. Females are similar but with reddish tones to the head. All individuals have extremely short tails with bright white outer tail feathers. An easily overlooked, diminutive warbler of montane forests, where it is often found in shaded thickets. Calls include a typewriter-like trill and nasal “nya nya nya” calls. Birds will sometimes duet, with the female giving nasal calls and the male giving clear, often paired whistles. Birds on Bioko also give a whistled “wheet” that rises in pitch.