Family: CettiidaeGenus: Cettia A stout and broad-tailed warbler, characterized by warm brown upperparts and pale grayish underparts, accentuated by a narrow eyebrow. It can easily blend into dense vegetation, often remaining inconspicuous. During the breeding season, it prefers tangled vegetation near water, such as reedy marshes adorned with bushes and scrub. While its presence is […]
Family: PhalacrocoracidaeGenus: Phalacrocorax A sizable cormorant species with a near-global distribution. It is characterized by its large size, prominent white patch on the throat, and absence of a crest. Breeding adults are distinguished by a circular white patch on their flanks. Immature individuals typically feature a contrasting white belly, while the African “White-breasted” variant exhibits
Family: PicidaeGenus: Picus Fairly large, mostly green woodpecker, unmistakable throughout much of range. Note red crown, pale eyes, and black face (male has red whisker mark). Yellowish rump shows mainly in slightly undulating flight. Juvenile is extensively barred and spotted all over, and lacks the contrasting face pattern. Inhabits open woodland, heathland, gardens, and farmland
Family: MotacillidaeGenus: Motacilla Easily recognizable yet displaying significant variability, this bird exhibits plumage patterns characterized by bold combinations of black, white, and gray. While its appearance can vary considerably across different regions of the world, it never possesses a clear, thin, contrasting eyebrow like the White-browed or Japanese Wagtail. It inhabits diverse open habitats, ranging
Family: EmberizidaeGenus: Emberiza The male of this species is easily distinguished by its striking head and breast pattern, particularly the dark blackish throat. In contrast, the female is more drab and streaky, with finer dark streaking, a more boldly striped head, and a grayish rump (rather than a bright rusty one), distinguishing it from the
Family: UpupidaeGenus: Upupa Hoopoes are colourful birds found across Africa, Asia, and Europe. An utterly distinctive bird, vibrant orange in color, adorned with zebra-striped wings, and boasting a Chinese fan-like crest that is typically held closed but often raised just after landing. Its bill resembles a rapier in shape. This bird prefers semiopen habitats like
Family: AcrocephalidaeGenus: Acrocephalus A robust warbler resembling the Eurasian Reed-Warbler in coloration but notably larger, characterized by a proportionately massive head, a hefty bill with a dark tip, and a broad, pale eyebrow. During breeding season, it inhabits reed beds, maneuvering through the thickets in brief flights and bending stems while perched. Outside of breeding
Family: CorvidaeGenus: Garrulus Residing in woodlands, forests, parklands, and gardens adorned with large trees, particularly oaks, this bird is easily recognized by its stout black bill, thick black mustache, and distinctive black-and-white wing pattern highlighted by a patch of blue on the shoulder. Its white rump is usually conspicuous in flight. Exhibiting significant variations across
Family: FalconidaeGenus: Falco Large, lanky, long-necked white heron. Size and black legs help separate from other egrets. Widespread and fairly common across the globe. Bill color varies across range: always yellow in the Americas, black in breeding season elsewhere. Occurs in any shallow wetland, including ponds, marshes, and tidal mudflats. Slowly stalks prey in shallow
Family: ApodidaeGenus: Apus Small endemic swift of Cape Verde. Smaller and more gray-brown compared to other swifts, with prominent whitish throat patch. Note shallow forked tail. Flight faster and more fluttering than Common Swift and the closely-related Plain Swift. Calls very similar to Common Swift, but slightly higher-pitched. Photo: Look how gorgeous [myshortcode] Photo: Jacob
