African Swamphen

Fairly small, orange-brown bird of forest midstory. Darker brown wings, and a variable amount of gray in the head. Found in tall forest in seasonally flooded and riverine areas, and forages singly or in pairs, not usually joining mixed-species flocks. Similar to some attilas, but has a shorter tail and a shorter, stubbier bill. Listen for its distinctive high whistled song, “tuw-tuwee . . . tee, tuweep!”

A black tit with a mostly white wing and outer tail. The sexes are similar, but females are slightly duller and browner. Found in arid savanna and mopane woodland. Usually in pairs or small groups, which are loud and conspicuous. Call is a classic tit “chee-chi-chi-chi-chi,” raspy and often repeated. Overlaps very locally with the very similar Southern Black-Tit in northern Namibia. Carp’s Tit can be identified by its all-black rather than white-barred undertail, and by having more white in the wing.

A tiny bird of wooded areas from the lowlands to the mountains of Palawan and neighboring islands. Has a fairly long, curved bill, a whitish belly, and olive wings. Male has a pointed green tail, a bright red back, sides, and head, a purple crown and moustache stripe, and a yellow chest with fine red streaking. Male is unmistakable. The drab female is similar to other female sunbirds, but is the only one with a combination of very small size, pale underparts, and olive wings. Voice is a repeated up-and-down “chip-chap! chip-chap! chip-chap!”