Dodoma, Tanzania: black and white bird (1 Viewer)

[HinzundKunz]

I saw this bird today in a bush outside our window. It's my first time seeing it, so I don't know what it is. It could be a black-headed apalis, but also something totally different.
The images are all blurred because my camera was focusing on a twig, but you can still see the coloring.
Anyone who knows what this is?

 

[lockbreeze926]

Hmmm, how about Fiscal Flycatcher? Or, if that's out of range, the local equivalent?

 

[HinzundKunz]

Yes, that would look similar. But according to the African Bird Club app, there are no black-and-white flycatchers in Tanzania, except the semi collared flycatcher, which looks very different. The fiscal flycatcher is said to only come up to the southern parts of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

 

[Jacana]

What about Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird?

 

[HinzundKunz]

What about Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird?

We have eastern violet-backed sunbirds, and they are smaller.

 

[01101001]

I remember having a similar problem: in such situations you can use manual focus, I think. The quality won't be stellar, but better than the faulty autofocus in this case. And it's not difficult to get a passable photo using manual focus--I'm no photographer; just read the camera's manual, and it was enough.

EDIT: A manual-focus picture of Common Nightingale at close distance:

 

[Butty]

We have eastern violet-backed sunbirds, and they are smaller.

Judging the size of a lone bird is notoriously unreliable.
You will find your birding/ID experience enormously improved if you buy a printed field guide.

 

[01101001]

Merlinised suggestions: Zanzibar Boubou - BirdForum Opus, Sharpe's Starling - BirdForum Opus; the former is better on range

(Merlin's Step by Step ID for a black and white bird in a bush in Dodoma today, between a Robin and a Blackbird in size)

EDIT:

A common but shy bush bird that's found in much of coastal Kenya and North East Tanzania.

(from East Coast Boubou)

Both species noticeably out of range, unfortunately.

 

[HinzundKunz]

Thank you all for all the suggestions. I think the images are too bad to make a good decision. Best bets this far is either a black-headed apalis, or I misjudged the size and it is an eastern violet-backed sunbird. I'll wait whether it shows up again and will try to get better pictures. I have tried to set up my camera in a way that might give me better images in a bushy environment (single focus, single measurement etc).

 

[01101001]

(The apalis appears to have a bigger head and much longer, heftier bill. The sunbird, OTOH, doesn't have a white chin immediately adjacent to the bill.)

(EDIT: The boubou's range might be a bit closer to Dodoma; IDK, anyway: East Coast Boubou (Laniarius sublacteus) :: xeno-canto.)

 

[HinzundKunz]

Well, the first picture actually shows that there is a little bit of black below the bill. So it could be a sunbird after all.

 

[01101001]

May well be; I thought it was staining or a shadow because there's a narrow white wedge at the side of the dark area.

EDIT: Surely better than the boubou I tried to propose on account of the thick and stubby bill of the latter.