Lyre-tailed Honeyguide

Uncommon, spectacular, crested eagle of lowland tropical forest. Most frequently seen soaring in mid-late morning; rarely seen perched. Gives loud, far-carrying whistles while flying, which often indicate its presence. Adult is black overall with bold white checkering under the wings and bold white bands on the tail. Immatures, although rarely seen, are browner with a white throat and crown. The short bushy crest is usually apparent only on perched birds and is not seen in flight.

A unusual dark greenbul often found near water in the forest interior. Decorated in various shades of dark and olive green, with a gray throat that contrasts with the breast, a buffy belly, and bright white sides of the tail. Can be confused with both Honeyguide Greenbul and actual honeyguides, but the flight is direct rather than undulating, the throat contrasts with the breast, the eyes are always dark, and the vocalizations are distinctive. Can be located by its “REHR!” calls, often followed by a series of fast, scratchy notes and sometimes repeated for minutes on end.

This eastern counterpart of the Black-throated Thrush also breeds in montane areas and winters in lower-elevation areas on average. Males gray above and white below, with a brick-red throat and supercilium. Female paler, with more streaking on the breast and light suffusion of red on the face. Streaky and drab young birds can be difficult to distinguish from Black-throated; chestnut outer tail feathers and orange suffusion to the throat area indicate Red-throated. In areas of overlap, beware hybrids that may show features of both species. Pleasant song is simpler than that of Black-throated, and is composed of fluty whistles and trills. Calls include typical “chekchekchek” and high, thin “tseee.”