Junin Tapaculo

Small, sharp-billed, warbler-like bird. Note yellow patches on the throat and undertail, and bold white spectacles around the eye. Found in all types of forest, and less commonly in scrub, gardens, and plantations. Usually found in hyperactive flocks that can contain dozens of individuals. Often joins mixed flocks of other small birds. Most common call is a high-pitched, rising rattle. Song is a quiet, chatty sequence of “chew” notes. Shows bright yellow patches and white spectacles, unlike any jery. Smaller and more brightly colored than any tetraka. 

Massive raptor with rather long, heavy bill; broad, plank-like wings; and relatively short, graduated tail. Looks like a flying barn door and soars with wings rather level (not slightly raised like Golden Eagle). Plumage dark overall. Adult has paler brown head and body, white tail, yellowish bill. Immature starts with mostly brown tail streaked white, blackish bill; attains fully white tail in about 4 years. Generally uncommon, mainly found along seacoasts and larger rivers (feeds predominantly on fish).

Rather local on seacoasts and remote islands south of Tierra del Fuego and on the Falklands. Favors rocky beaches and adjacent shoreline, especially with tussock grass clumps nearby (known as Tussacbird on the Falklands). Like other cinclodes, feeds on the ground, poking under seaweed, and can be very tame. No similar species in range: note dark sooty-brown plumage with only a ghosting of typical cinclodes face stripes and wing stripe. Some regional variation—bill has pale creamy patch at base on South American population and is all dark on birds in the Falklands.