Desert Finch

A big, bulky, long-tailed black weaver. The bill is white in males and black in females. There is a white patch on the front edge of the shoulder, and also a pale patch in the wing that can be conspicuous in flight. Immatures are dark brown with heavy streaking below. Found in dry savanna and woodland, often in flocks. Builds huge communal stick nests. Similar to Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver, but never shows a red bill. The common call is a harsh “sjet” that is often given repeatedly by a whole group in chorus. 

What this bird lacks in color, it makes up for with a ridiculously oversized bill. Male is all glossy black, female warm brown. Male’s bill is huge and pink, female’s is equally huge but dark gray. Larger overall size than other seed-finches and seedeaters. Could be mistaken for Thick-billed Seed-Finch but even larger bill should help with identification; also note lack of a white patch in the wing. Found in open habitats, especially fields with some scattered shrubs.

A large, robust, rusty lark with a short crest, a hefty bill, and a prominent rufous wing panel that is obvious in flight. Geographically highly variable, and does not always show a rufous nape. Can vary from rich rufous-brown to pale and sandy in overall coloration. Pairs are resident in open grassland, grassy savanna, woodland, and cultivated areas. It is most conspicuous in the spring and summer, when it perches up singing a sweet, simple song of 3-5 notes such as “treee-leee-treeloo,” occasionally drooping its wings and jumping with a small flutter, exposing the rufous wings that it shares with some other larks.