Golden-eared Tanager

Large and social starling of fields, parks, and farmland. Adult’s contrastingly and sharply demarcated white head in both sexes is unique amongst the region's starlings. Females are duller than males, but both have gray bodies and dark wings with a white patch. Juveniles are brown overall with a pale face. Gathers in immense roosts in the winter, often with White-cheeked Starlings. Noisy, often giving harsh and ear-splitting calls, particularly when flying in to roost.

Small and stout forest-dweller that hops and buzzes about in the canopy like a large, active insect. Note male’s iridescent dark blue back, bright red chest, and black line extending down the white belly. As with many other flowerpeckers, the female is considerably duller, with a red rump patch being the only patch of bright color on her otherwise gray-brown plumage. Endemic to Sumba, where found in wooded habitats throughout the island. Gives a short, descending series of whistles, as well as piercing high-pitched notes.

A martin-like swallow with a bicolored plumage pattern of steel-blue upperparts and pale underparts. Pairs or small groups flit low over grassland, scrub, farmland, and open woodland, often near water. It is a migrant to the southern parts of South Africa, but it is resident elsewhere, with some poorly understood movements. The Pearl-breasted Swallow differs from House Martin and Gray-rumped Swallow by having a dark (not pale) rump and pale (not dark) underwings.