Bird Guide

Discover 20 bird species

Sclater's Lark

Spizocorys sclateri

A medium-sized, compact lark with a bulbous head and a chunky pale bill that appears upturned. The plumage is buffy-brown, especially the underparts, and the eye is underlined with a dark stripe that has a diagnostic tear-drop mark. Pairs inhabit stark, stony plains with scattered small shrubs and occasional grass, where they flip stones and extract seeds from the bases of grass leaf-sheaths. The species is most often seen visiting waterholes in the heat of the day. Calls include a simple chirping “treeep” given repeatedly in flight and on the ground, often betraying its presence.

Brown-headed Honeyeater

Melithreptus brevirostris

Small honeyeater with brown cap. Primarily gray-brown with olive back and lighter underparts. Eye patch and band leading from the eye to back of the head are cream-colored. Juveniles have pale blue coloration around the eye and a yellow bill. Take care to separate from juvenile White-naped Honeyeater, which lacks the pale half collar around the side of the neck. The plumage of this species varies geographically. Common in eucalypt forests, where it is usually very vocal and active. Forages in small groups.

Chestnut-backed Jewel-babbler

Ptilorrhoa castanonota

A medium-sized, long-tailed, ground-dwelling bird of foothill and lower montane forest. Deep blue belly, and wing, and bright white throat bordered with a black stripe. Rump is blue in males and chestnut in females. All males and some races of females have blue stripe above the eye, where other females have a pale stripe. Similar to Blue and Dimorphic Jewel-babblers, but Chestnut-backed has a chestnut back and crown, and is normally found above the level of Blue. Voice, a long, medium-pitch, monotonous whistle or an explosive “chew! chew!”.

Golden Parrotbill

Suthora verreauxi

An attractive, social, and vocal small songbird but often difficult to see in the dense scrub and bamboo clusters it prefers. Greenish above, white below, with black throat and golden patch in dark wings. Usually inhabits foothill and upper-elevation forests, but will descend to lower elevations during harsh winters. Loud and vocal: gives chirps, squeaks, trills, and chattering calls.

Baird's Flycatcher

Myiodynastes bairdii

Large, stout-billed flycatcher restricted to arid areas and oases of northwestern Peru and western Ecuador. Distinctive in range, with yellow belly, chestnut wings and tail, and black mask. It does not occur together with the similar Golden-crowned Flycatcher, which is a cloud forest species. Typically sits high up on a tree, pole, wire, or other elevated perch. Sallies out to catch insects, and also regularly eats fruit.

Cordillera Ground-Warbler

Robsonius rabori

A medium-sized bird of lowland forest floor in northern Luzon. Fairly stout, with a pale lower bill, long legs, and large feet. Pale below, with a grayish scaled chest and brown under the base of the tail. Note rufous face and forehead with pale bare skin in front of the eye, brown upperparts with two dotted white wingbars, and orange flight feathers. Unmistakable. Song is a very high-pitched short phrase, “tseeee sip tseeee!”

Red-breasted Coua

Coua serriana

Dark, long-tailed, long-legged understory bird. When seen well, the red breast and black face with blue facial skin are distinctive and beautiful. Very shy bird that spends most of its time walking on the forest floor, sometimes hopping into low tangles. Found in eastern rainforest, mainly at low elevations. The most common call is a loud single “treeeeeow.” Slightly larger than Red-capped Coua, with red on the breast rather than the cap. Much longer-tailed than forest-dwelling rails.

Reischek's Parakeet

Cyanoramphus hochstetteri

A medium-sized, emerald-green parakeet endemic to the Antipodes Islands, including smaller outer islands. Recognized by its distinctive bright red crown and small red patches behind the eyes. Green body plumage has a slight yellowish tint. Males are larger than females. Most commonly found in areas of low vegetation and open areas along the coast. Forms small flocks in autumn and winter. Calls are a distinctive parakeet chatter. Distinguished from Red-crowned Parakeet by lack of range overlap and the more yellow-green body plumage. Easily distinguished from larger, all-green Antipodes Island Parakeet.

Lesser Goldfinch

Spinus psaltria

Tiny yellowish finch. Blackish conical bill is stout, but sharply pointed. Long wings are black with one white wingbar and large white patch at the base of the primaries. Small head. Short notched tail. Adult males have either green or black (Texas to South America) back. Regularly visits feeders. Females similar to American Goldfinch; note bill shape and color, usually more yellowish undertail coverts, less distinct wingbars, and more obvious white patch at base of primaries.

Fiji Island-Thrush

Turdus ruficeps

Notably variably but generally dark thrush with orange bill, eyering, legs, and feet. Found on almost all islands in Fiji, but abundance varies significantly between islands. On some islands only found at the highest elevations, while on others occurs more widely. Forages at all levels of forest, including on the forest floor. Calls include harsh chupping calls, often given in bursts.

Wattled Ibis

Bostrychia carunculata

A dark ibis with a shaggy crest and a small wattle below the bill that is difficult to see. White patches in the wings are distinctive, especially in flight. Found in montane habitats including grasslands, marshes, moorlands, and even urban lawns. Often in small flocks. Somewhat similar to other dark ibis, but easily separated by the white in the wing. The calls are raspy and rough.

Hudson's Black-Tyrant

Knipolegus hudsoni

Highly migratory flycatcher that breeds in central Argentina from around September through March, then disperses north to Bolivia and Paraguay, and occasionally wanders even farther. Male is glossy black with a silvery, black-tipped bill. He has a white on the underside of the wing that is usually hidden while perched. Female is brown and buff with white wingbars, cinnamon rump and tail base, and faint mottling on the breast. Very similar to White-winged Black-Tyrant; female is paler on the breast and belly, but males are virtually indistinguishable in the field. Inhabits stunted forest, scrub, and overgrown clearings.

Rattling Cisticola

Cisticola chiniana

Large, streak-backed, long-tailed cisticola of uplands. Note the pale tips to the tail and the rufous cap. Shows geographical variation in overall richness of color, including the rufous cap. Common in a wide variety of open habitats, especially savanna and scrub. Feisty bird that often mobs predators and sits out to sing on open perches. Song is variable, but typical pattern is a couple of “che” notes followed by a long, rattling trill. As with all cisticolas, habitat and voice are important cues in identification.

Black Swan

Cygnus atratus

Unmistakable large black swan with a red bill. When swimming this species is almost entirely black. Wings show extensive white flight feathers when flying. Juveniles are similar but dark-gray. In Australia, compare with Magpie Goose, which has white belly, and white underwing with black tips. Typically found along inland waterways, rivers, sewage ponds, and coastal lagoons and inlets. Sometimes flocks together in enormous numbers on large wetlands.

Spotted Morning-Thrush

Cichladusa guttata

A boldly marked thrush-like bird with a brown back, a rufous tail, and white underparts heavily spotted with black. Found in areas of dense undergrowth within savanna, woodland, and scrub habitats. A fairly shy species that feeds on the ground, though it can sometimes be tame around lodges. Somewhat similar to scrub-robins, but easily separated by the lack of white in the wings and tail. Most easily detected by song: a rollicking, musical, whistled combination of repeated notes and short repeated phrases that can also incorporate imitations of other species and is often given as a duet by a pair. 

Green-backed Hillstar

Urochroa leucura

Large hummingbird with limited range on east slope of Andes from southern Colombia to Ecuador. Overall bronzy-greenish with blue throat. Very long, straight bill. Look for bold white flashes in tail, especially visible in flight. Could be confused with Lazuline or Napo Sabrewing, but note straighter bill and white tail. Uncommon; occasionally visits feeders but equally likely to be found within forest, especially around streams and waterfalls. Occurs from around 1,100 to 2,000 m.

Trumpet Manucode

Phonygammus keraudrenii

Glossy black large songbird with a red eye, long rounded tail, and small shaggy plumes on back of neck. Prefers the middle to upper canopy of rainforest, where it often perches prominently. Compare Spangled Drongo (forked tail), Metallic Starling (much smaller, pointed tail), and male Pacific Koel (larger, with pale bill). Gives a loud, piercing contact call.

Cuban Trogon

Priotelus temnurus

A splendid medium-sized inhabitant of woodlands; often found in pairs. Its iridescent blue-green back, smooth gray chest, and brilliant red belly easily distinguish it from all other species in range. Usually sits motionless near the middle level of the forest, but when feeding (typically on flowers and fruit) hovers conspicuously. Often found by its loud calls, which are somewhat varied. One common call is a “cu-cu-cu-cu-cu-cu,” often accelerating; another is a resonant quavering “cu-u-low,” given several times in succession.

Golden-crowned Flycatcher

Myiodynastes chrysocephalus

Large flycatcher of Andean cloud forest, usually seen perched high in the trees. Yellow underparts, dark face, and white head stripes are rather kiskadee-like, but Golden-crowned Flycatcher can be distinguished by its white moustache stripe, lack of white throat, and faint streaking on breast. It is also mainly found at higher elevations. Vocalizations include sharp “de-wit” and “chew-di-wit” calls that are repeated every few seconds. Due to a taxonomical revision, this species only includes birds found south of the Marañón River in Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. Birds north of there are now included with Golden-bellied Flycatcher.

Rimatara Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus rimitarae

A large warbler with a yellowish eyebrow and a dark eye-stripe. Crown and upperparts warm olive-brown. Body and tail messily interspersed with white, giving a variably patchy white-and-brown appearance. Found in brushy forest and reed beds. Most common vocalizations reported to be loud scolding “chack-chack” calls and chirping.