Tsingy Forest Rail

A chunky bird with a thick bill. Quite plain: brownish on the back, grayish on the head, and paler below, with indistinct breast streaking. Color of the underparts varies geographically from dull rufous to whitish-buff. Found at low and middle elevations in humid forest, including secondary forest. Rich, melodious, variable song consists of several penetrating whistles, generally in an up-and-down pattern. Calls include “chek” notes. Somewhat similar to Rusty Pitohui, but smaller, with a dark rather than pale eye. Also similar to Gray Shrikethrush, but smaller, shorter-tailed, and browner, with a darker face. Could be confused with female Black Shrikethrush, but always smaller and paler.

Brown chat with a dark face mask, a pale eyebrow, and very faint streaking on the underparts. Found very locally in a specific microhabitat: the bands of somewhat lusher woodland around the base of rocky escarpments at the edge of the Namib Desert. Usually in pairs. Quiet but distinctive song is a four-note series of mournful whistles. Fairly similar to Familiar Chat, but easily separated by bold face pattern.

Males are unmistakable snow-white cotingas with a greeny-blue bare face and throat. Females are olive-green above with a streaked belly and gray-brown head. The song is a metallic, explosive and massively loud “boink” delivered from high perches in the canopy of humid forests.