Amazonian Plain-Xenops

Medium-sized flycatcher-like bird with a long pointed bill. Male is bright white with a black face and throat. Female is entirely dark overall. Juvenile is rufous above and paler buff below. Endemic to the Chuuk Islands of Micronesia, where it primarily inhabits remnant upland native forest, extensive mangroves, and small forested atolls. Less frequently in degraded lowland forest. Favors areas with a dense understory, where it forages singly or in small groups, moving slowly through the foliage. Sparse and declining as a result of habitat loss. Gives low whistles and a nasal “jeer!”

Lively medium-sized warbler; a typical member of the “golden-spectacled” complex, with a bright yellow eyering, gray-and-black crown, greenish upperparts, and daisy-yellow underparts. Very similar in appearance to closely-related Bianchi’s, Whistler’s, Martens’s, White-spectacled, and Plain-tailed Warblers. On Gray-crowned, look out for a combination of features: a thin break at the rear of the eyering, a strong gray-and-black head pattern, bright greenish upperparts, and bright yellow underparts. Breeds from the lower foothills up to montane forests and forest edges, roughly between 1200 and 2500 meters of elevation, though elevational range depends on location; averages lower in elevation than Bianchi’s and Whistler’s Warblers, higher than Plain-tailed, and roughly the same range as White-spectacled and Martens’s. Winters in open forests and forest edge in foothills and lowlands. Forages at lower levels in the forest. Song is composed of short bright segments, usually starting with 1-2 introductory notes and ended with 1-2 musical trills or rapid series. White-spectacled has a similar song, but generally with fewer trills and at a lower pitch. Gray-crowned’s call is a rather cricket-like “chirrip.”

Medium-sized tan bird with reddish wings and tail. Forages in the understory and midstory of seasonally flooded rainforest, especially near water. Usually uncommon. Resembles a spinetail or foliage-gleaner. Compared to similar spinetails, the softtail is plainer brown with a thicker gray bill, and is a more acrobatic forager, creeping along tree branches and gleaning prey like a foliage-gleaner. Compared to similar foliage-gleaners (like Chestnut-crowned and Buff-fronted), it is smaller and skinnier, with no noticeable patterning. Listen for a low, prolonged, messy chatter.