Winding Cisticola

Tiny, short-tailed hummingbird with disjunct range from Venezuela to southeast Ecuador. Spectacular male is mostly green with a bushy orange crest with black spots, a dark throat, a red bill, and a white band across rump. Female is duller overall with a rusty forehead and a whitish throat. Unlikely to be confused within its range, but compare with Rufous-crested Coquette (male lacks black spotting in crest and female has a brighter rusty throat). Generally rare in lowlands and foothills up to around 1,200 m. Most likely to be seen at purple Verbena flowers or in the canopy of a flowering Inga tree.

Rare and endangered parakeet endemic to foothill cloud forest in southwestern Ecuador. It is mostly green with red on forehead, shoulder, and undertail. Flight feathers are blue, which is usually only evident in flight. Also note the whitish eyering and rather long tail. Usually encountered in small flocks that fly from tree to tree, screeching as they go. Most of the known population is found in and around the Buenaventura Reserve, where the birds are successfully using artificial nest boxes.

Small and stout forest-dweller that hops and buzzes about in the canopy like a large, active insect. Note male’s iridescent dark blue back, bright red chest, and black line extending down the white belly. As with many other flowerpeckers, the female is considerably duller, with a red rump patch being the only patch of bright color on her otherwise gray-brown plumage. Endemic to Flores, where it inhabits montane and foothill forests. Calls include high-pitched whistles and dry clicking notes.