Obscure Berrypecker

A very slender gray-brown swift with a long, deeply forked tail that is often held closed, making it look needle-like and pointed. The erratic flight pattern, with frequent direction changes and rapid wingbeats on long, scythe-shaped wings, is distinctive. Less gregarious than other swifts; usually found in pairs or small flocks, and association with other swallows and swifts is usually only fleeting. Forages over a wide variety of habitats with palms, including savanna, coastal scrub, towns, villages, cultivated areas, forest edge, and clearings, from sea level up to 1100 meters of elevation, preferring lowlands. Nests and roosts in palms, especially Hyphaene, Bismarckia, and coconut palms. Gives a high-pitched, metallic “tre-tit-tit-tit-tit-tit-tit-tit” call, solitarily or in unison with others. Separated from other swifts by its longer and thinner tail. Further separated from the larger Madagascar Swift by its much weaker and more fluttering flight.

A rather small owl with a grayish-brown head, brown upperparts spotted with white, and whitish underparts barred with rufous. Common in most forests up to at least 1000 meters of elevation. Differs from the similar New Britain Boobook in barred rather than spotted underparts, lack of contrastingly dark chest, and lack of slim white eyebrows. Ranges unlikely to regularly overlap. Voice is a gruff, frog-like “kra-kra-kra-kra.”

Small, rare rail that is unlikely to be seen unless you’re expressly looking for it at a handful of known sites. Cleanly rich brown on the back and gray below, with a bright yellow bill and red legs. Found in a few western Madagascar wetlands with tall reeds and floating vegetation. Common calls are a repeated “tik” and a long, dry trill. Combination of size and all-yellow bill are distinctive.