Peruvian Sierra Finch

A medium-sized loon, common in western North America and across the Pacific to Japan. Dark overall and relatively short-billed for a loon, with a rounded crown and nape. Breeding plumage striking with gray head, white-checkered back, and thin white lines on sides of neck. Nonbreeding plumage is rather dark gray above with a clearly demarcated white throat and even border between gray and white on the neck. Diagnostic dark “chinstrap” is sometimes obvious but can be difficult to see at a distance, and is often absent on first-year birds. Especially similar to Arctic Loon, which overlaps mainly from Alaska to Japan. Pacific is subtly smaller-billed and usually holds its head horizontally. In breeding plumage, Pacific has a paler nape that shines silvery in the sunlight, and thinner white lines on the neck than Arctic. Breeds on lakes and ponds in the tundra. Winters mainly on nearshore ocean waters, sometimes in sheltered bays. Often in loose groups, especially where food is plentiful; sometimes mixes with other loon species. Rare but regular on inland reservoirs and lakes during migration and winter.

This scarce piculet is known only from a few locations in the humid lowlands of eastern Colombia, southern Venezuela, and northwestern Brazil. Its underparts are entirely barred, but upperparts are plain, lacking the barring shown by the otherwise very similar Lafresnaye’s Piculet. Inhabits light woodland and forest edge, and not found inside tall rainforest. Song is a high pitched “seep, seep, seep”, though sometimes only one or two notes are given. Call is a short, erratic trill.

Medium-sized woodpecker of high elevation pine and pine-oak woods endemic to central Mexico. Smaller than Hairy Woodpecker, which often occurs in the same areas; no range overlap with Arizona Woodpecker. Told from Hairy Woodpecker by big dark cheek spot on white face, dark brown (not blackish) upperparts with dark bars on ​white back patch, and extensive dark streaking and spotting on the underparts.