Abert's Towhee

Chunky dark brown raptor with a white belly marked by thin bars. Immatures are brown when perched, and show rufous patches in the underwing in flight. Found in savanna habitats. Soars frequently and sometimes hovers. Very similar to Short-toed Snake-Eagle, but has darker upperparts and narrower dark bars on the belly; the front of the underwings looks white and unbarred in flight. Immature similar to immature Black-breasted and Short-toed Snake-Eagles, but identified by the rufous patches on the underwings.

Odd little short-tailed and chunky-billed member of the indigobird family. The male is yellow, with dark wings and tail, while the female is brown and streaky on the back and buff on the face and underparts. Found in moist grassland and open savanna. Uncommon across its range. Indistinct song consists of short, rasping phrases. Male could be confused with canaries but has an all-black bill. Female resembles female bishops but has a shorter and thicker all-black bill.

Huge, majestic, dark-brown vulture. In flight, looks all dark, with some contrast between the leading edge and trailing edge from below. Soars on flat wings, often slightly drooping, with prominent wing fingers and a saw-toothed trailing edge. Juvenile lacks the adult’s pale head patches. Imposing and dominant over other vultures at carcasses. Forages over rugged mountains, upland forests, grasslands, and steppes. Sometimes disperses significant distances in the winter.