black-headed apalis Apalis melanocephala

A well-marked apalis with dark upperparts, white underparts, and a long tail with white tips. There is considerable geographical variation; the darkness of the upperparts ranges from black to olive-gray; the length of the tail varies; and a buff wash on the throat may be present or absent. Throughout the range, females have paler upperparts than males. Found in humid forest and lush scrub at middle elevations. Can be confused with other apalises, but readily identified by a combination of range, vocalizations, strongly contrasting plumage, and the white tips (rather than clean edges) of the tail. The song can be a repeated single “swit” or a series of more complex two-note or three-note phrases.