Blue-black Kingfisher

Bulky and sluggish inhabitant of Sumatra’s highland forests. Resembles a cross between a large thrush and a small crow; both sexes are glossy black with an electric-blue tail, wing panel, and crown. Males have a dark face, whereas females have a buffy one. Dull naked red skin around the eye can be evident at close range. Like other cochoas, its inactive habits can make this species difficult to see as it perches up in dense vegetation. Song is a haunting mournful whistle.

Male is a fairly distinctive seedeater with yellow belly (sometimes very pale), dark breast and face, and brownish-olive back. Often shows some smudgy dark marks down the flanks. Bill is pale silvery. Female seedeaters are extremely difficult to identify; Yellow-bellied tends to look warmer with yellowish tones on underparts, but many are best left unidentified unless accompanied by a male. Most often found in flocks or pairs in open grassy habitats, sometimes near the edge of forest but also in agricultural areas.

Small, pale brown, heavily streaked cisticola. Endemic to Socotra, where it inhabits low shrublands and other habitats with significant bushy cover, mostly at low elevations. The song is a long series of dull “zit” notes, often given in flight; very similar to the song of the widespread Zitting Cisticola, which is not found on Socotra. Within its range, can only be confused with Socotra Warbler, but easily distinguished by the paler coloration and well-defined streaking.