Seychelles Swiftlet

A large, unusual bushshrike of Tanzania’s Uluguru Mountains with a huge bill, a black head, a green back, and yellow underparts. Found in the canopy of montane forest, usually in pairs. Most often detected by the distinctive and unusual voice, which consists of sliding whistles given in pairs, one lower and one higher, along with well-spaced ratcheting notes. These two vocalizations are usually synchronized as a duet by a pair. 

Large waxbill with a big bill. Shows a black head, brown back, and black scallops along the sides of the breast. Found in bamboo, moist scrub, moist cultivation, lush savanna, and forest edge. Quite scarce across most of its range. Call is a descending “teeiw”. Superficially similar to Bronze Mannikin but larger and bigger-billed, with an all-black head and distinctive scallops along the breast sides.

Small shy warbler. Dull brown with a paler belly and brow stripe. Like most bush-warblers, difficult to see as it moves through dense foliage. Listen for its sweet song, consisting of a few introductory notes followed by two long whistles: “ti-ti-tchew weeeeee-cheeeeee’. Visually very difficult to separate from Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler and Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler, and differences are extremely subtle. Himalayan breeders average more greenish on the back than either of the other two species, and have a strong yellow wash on the belly; Brownish-flanked, with which Aberrant overlaps in the eastern Himalayas, is much browner overall. In central China, Aberrant overlaps with Yellowish-bellied, which has a pale gray throat instead of a yellowish-buff one. Aberrant breeds in shrubby edge, bamboo stands, and open bushy areas in montane and hill areas; upper altitudinal limit averages higher than both Yellowish-bellied and Brownish-flanked.