Long-crested Pygmy-Tyrant

Tiny and rather unobtrusive bird with brownish upperparts and luminous lemon-yellow underparts. Superficially similar to female and juvenile Olive-backed Sunbirds, but note gerygone’s short, uncurved bill. Forages in parks, forests, and plantations, where it often joins mixed flocks moving through the middle and upper layers. Song is variable throughout its range but invariably includes buzzy notes with obvious rises and falls in pitch.

Well-named, this is truly a small hawk, although size can be difficult to judge. Look for fine barring on the underparts, darker cap, and relatively short tail. Adults are gray, juveniles warmer rufous. Lacks a conspicuous collar wrapping around the neck, as in Semicollared Hawk. Not frequently seen; often stays inside forests, where it hunts small birds. Sometimes perches at the forest edge. Almost always seen singly.

Minuscule endemic songbird. Short wings, very short tail, and rather long legs give it the appearance of a brown ping-pong ball set on tiny chopsticks. Dark brown above, black-and-white scaly pattern below. Constantly shakes its wings as if cold. Moves about on the ground and in low vegetation in montane forests, where very difficult to see. Song a loud, strident, high-pitched series of three whistled phrases, with a pause after the first.