Tawny Antpitta

Grallaria quitensis

Medium-sized antpitta found in elfin forest and páramo near or above treeline in the Andes from western Colombia to extreme northwestern Peru. Typical antpitta shape: plump with short tail and long legs. Dull brownish plumage, darker above and buffier below. Sexes similar. Fairly common and much more conspicuous than most other antpittas; frequently seen bounding around in the open, though typically close to shrubby cover. Sometimes sings from a fairly prominent perch; listen for three piping whistles, a high first note followed by two lower notes.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Grallaria quitensis
Authority
Lesson, RP, 1844
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Grallariidae
Genus
Grallaria

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Hooded Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Small diving duck with thin serrated bill. Breeding males have showy black-and-white crest, a couple zebra stripes on the white breast, and cinnamon-colored sides. Females are brown with a puffy crest and partly yellow bill. Looks slender and long-necked in flight, with very fast wingbeats. Widespread across much of North America, but usually only seen in pairs or small flocks. Nests in cavities near small ponds or marshes; especially fond of wooded swamps. In winter, usually found on calm bodies of water; almost never on the ocean. Sometimes mixes loosely with other duck species.

Green-winged Saltator

Green-winged Saltator

Saltator similis

A grosbeaklike bird found in the canopy and borders of humid forests. woodlands, and adjacent clearings, where it can be fairly common when not persecuted for the wild bird trade. Note the broad white eyebrow and black mustache contrasting with the dark gray face, giving it an angry look. Olive-green on the back with a white throat and light gray underparts. Similar to Buff-throated Saltator, but with a white (not buff) throat. The song is a series of soft whistles “chew-cho-chew-cho-chewee.”

Barred Rail

Barred Rail

Gallirallus torquatus

A strikingly marked rail with a short cocked tail. Olive-brown above and heavily barred black-and-white below and on throat, with a rufous band across the chest. Face is strikingly black with a thick white stripe. Favors damp marshy grassland up to 1000 meters of elevation. Similar to Buff-banded Rail, but easily identified by its white facial stripe and lack of a white eyebrow. Often heard giving a loud, harsh croaking chorus.

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Tawny Antpitta | BirdLens