Collared Petrel

A small, fork-tailed, sooty-brown swallow with different plumages for the sexes: distinctive male has a pure white head and narrow black eye stripe; female has a mostly ashy head with white throat. Immature lacks white on the head. Pairs use clearings and edges of evergreen forest, open woodland, and cultivation. Resident in East Africa, but an intra-African breeding migrant in Zambia and Malawi between October and May. Superficially more similar to swifts than other swallows. Note the differences in flight style: flightier with deep wing beats and rapid changes of direction, as opposed to the more stiff-winged flight of swifts.

A pretty, intricately marked medium-sized francolin with a brown back, rufous underparts, and a white throat bordered with black spots. The wings show large rufous patches in flight. Found at high elevations in alpine grassland and heath, often in small groups. Similar to Shelley’s Francolin, but found in different habitat at higher elevations, and separated by many details, including the more solidly rufous underparts without heavy black barring on the belly. The vocalizations include a series of “squee-chee” notes, and a squealing call often given in flight.

Dark brown to matte black; males with iridescent bluish wings. Thick neck and heavy bill. Look for vampire-like staring red eye. Males have an incredible display where they puff out a mane of neck feathers and hover in a circle above the female. Found in a variety of open or semi-open areas, including pastures, forest edge, yards, and agricultural areas. Visits feeders. Often in flocks, sometimes with other blackbirds.