New Caledonian Cuckooshrike

This remarkable flycatcher occurs in both rufous and white morphs, but it always has grayish underparts and a strong crest. The breeding male has ludicrous central tail feathers, twenty centimeters long, that trail like the ribbon of a rhythmic gymnast, while the female lacks the tail streamers and has a smaller crest. Singles and pairs occasionally join flocks in open woodland, riverine forest, and thickets, avoiding lowland evergreen forest. Very vocal, often giving a repeated grating “dzee-zwee” call and a sweet melodic “willie-willie-willie-wee-wooo” song. The very similar Rufous-vented Paradise-Flycatcher differs from African Paradise-Flycatcher by having a rufous undertail and a shorter crest.

A medium-sized, greenish leaf-warbler with a bright yellow throat, eyebrow, and vent, and pale belly. Eastern birds are brighter than those farther west. Immature is duller than adult, tinged brown on the upperparts. Pairs are inconspicuous residents in swamp and isolated evergreen forest patches in Miombo woodland, and in montane forest. Gleans insects from mid-level to forest canopy, often using edges and clearings. Similar migrant Willow Warbler is duller than Laura’s and lacks clear yellow throat and white belly demarcation; Laura’s does not overlap with other African resident wood-warblers. The distinctive melodious song is a series of 5-8 regularly repeated phrases “pri-chi-rri, pri-chir-ri, pri-chi-ri” or “twi-li, twi-li-twi-li”.

Striking tuxedoed babbler with a slightly downcurved banana-yellow bill and bright white eyebrows. A foothill and montane species of forest, forest edge, and dense scrubby growth. Clambers and bounces about along branches and in the undergrowth, typically in pairs or small flocks. Song variations include brief series of hooting calls, accelerating and jumbled in the second half. Calls include various rattles and hoots; often duets.