Phainopepla

Large, dark hummingbird. Common in tepui highlands. Male is mostly shining green, especially on the throat, breast, and forehead; female is white below with extensive green spotting. Both sexes have conspicuous white spot behind eye. Occurs in a wide variety of habitats including tall forest, edge, and open scrub at middle and high elevations (above 800 m) in tepui region. Feeds on nectar and defends patches of flowers from other hummingbirds. Gives loud, sharp chip note while foraging. No other large, green hummingbird occurs in its limited range.

Small and nondescript honeyguide. Note the short but chunky bill and the white patches on the sides of the tail. Found along forest edge, in forest, and in thick woodland, where it is uncommon and inconspicuous. The main call is a slowly repeated “twee-ya.” Very similar to Least and Lesser Honeyguides, but has a smaller bill and a paler head that lacks a dark facial stripe. Similar to Wahlberg’s and Green-backed Honeyguides, but has a thicker bill.

Nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of African Firefinch. Breeding males are glossy blue-black, with a pale brownish panel in the wings, while females and non-breeding males are streaky and brown on the back and pale below, with a bold facial pattern. The color of the legs is red in South Africa and pale pink in the rest of the range. Found in savanna, woodland, and forest edge. Mimics the vocalizations of its host firefinches: a low metallic trill. Extremely similar to several localized indigobirds and the widespread Purple Indigobird. In South Africa, separated from Purple Indigobird by red legs. Elsewhere, breeding males are probably slightly less glossy but only separated with certainty by hearing mimicked vocalizations of host species.