Santa Marta Tapaculo

Medium-sized woodpecker found from Costa Rica to northern South America. Pale buffy overall with a red nape and belly and black-and-white barring on the back. Female has a pale crown with restricted red on the back of the nape; male has red extending to top of crown. Common in open woodlands, second growth, and gardens. Distinctive in range, but hybridizes extensively with Hoffmann’s Woodpecker on the Pacific slope in Costa Rica. Hybrids usually show orange nape and belly.

This is the only montane laughingthrush in its range and hence unmistakable. It has dull olive-brown upperparts, a grey-streaked white breast, and a rufous-chestnut lower breast and belly. The most striking characteristic is the white eyebrow, flaring in front of the eye over a dark eye-line. Found in stunted montane forests, tea estates, and wooded second growth, in pairs or noisy flocks, producing a melodious “pe-kee-ke” song and several other chatters intermingled with musical notes. Heard more often than seen; its songs and calls are usually the first indication of its presence. 

Combination of a bright red face, staring pale eyes, and chunky bicolored bill lends this lowland and foothill forest species a clownlike countenance. Dark glossy greenish above and rich chestnut-brown below, this oversized cuckoo clumps about amongst foliage, looking rather squirrel-like in its movements. Sometimes joins mixed flocks. Gives a range of strange calls, including hollow knocks and hoarse crowing and mewing notes.