Dark-necked Tailorbird

Small, compact dark owl with small ear tufts. Most birds have dark brown upperparts and medium-brown underparts, but there is a rare rufous morph with rich rufous underparts and head. Fairly common in remnant rainforest, secondary forest, gardens, and plantations on the island of Mayotte, in the Comoros. The remarkable vocalization is a series of several low-pitched hollow hoots. Sometimes active and vocal during the day, especially the early morning and late afternoon. Easily identified, as the only other owl on Mayotte is the much larger Barn Owl. 

While furtive, this tiny skulker is distinctive if seen well. Short-tailed and large-headed in profile, somewhat like a vole or shrew. Brown with a pale throat, white eyebrow, and white speckling on the upper body. Both undersides and uppersides are streaked with white, though the prominence of this streaking depends on the lighting. Appearance varies slightly across range. Song, composed of a single airy monotone or slightly falling whistle repeated at 3- to 5-second intervals, is hauntingly ventriloquial. Found in tropical and subtropical evergreen forests with dense understoreys, from lowlands up into submontane areas.

Very similar to Red-winged Blackbird. Male entirely glossy black with red shoulder patch bordered by white, not yellow. Female dark brown and streaky, larger and darker than any sparrow. Lacks warm tones to plumage, unlike female Red-winged Blackbird. For both sexes, note relatively thin, sharp bill. Found in marshes and adjacent fields; breeds in colonies. Undergoing significant population decline due to habitat loss. Song is nasal and low-pitched, not as complex or as musical as Red-winged.