Tibetan Babax

Beefy, medium-sized sandpiper. Brown-toned overall with yellowish legs. Slightly curved bill pale at base. Look for dense breast streaking with abrupt border at white belly. Males are much larger than females, and have a large air sac in the throat which they inflate during breeding display. Plumage and yellow legs might recall Least Sandpiper, but Pectoral is much larger and looks longer-necked. Compare with Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, which is brighter overall and has a more distinct dark cap. Breeds on tundra in the high Arctic. Winters mainly in southern South America, but small numbers also winter in Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Typically seen in small flocks in muddy marshes or wet grassy habitats, sometimes mixed with other shorebirds. Much less common on open mudflats or beaches. Listen for low, trilled calls.

Large and chunky with stout dark bill. Nondescript plumage: entirely olive-green with slightly brighter yellowish throat and upper breast. Sexes alike. Compare with female Red-throated Ant-Tanager, which is somewhat more slender and longer-tailed, has a more contrasting pale throat, and paler legs. Found in lowlands and foothills, where small flocks move through lower and middle levels of humid forests. Often in mixed feeding flocks with other species. Occurs from eastern Honduras to extreme northwestern Colombia. Listen for its loud, fast, long-winded song of whistles and chips, along with grating squeaky scold calls.

A chunky, short-tailed, colorful savanna starling. Note the white chest band, white undertail, and white patch on the underwing, conspicuous in flight. Immatures have a dark eye and lack a breast band, but are usually associated with adults. Found in a variety of dry or moderately moist habitats including savanna, woodland, thorn scrub, and villages, usually in small flocks, sometimes with other species of starlings. Similar to Hildebrandt’s and Shelley’s Starlings, but easily separated by the white breast band. The calls include a variety of scolds and squeals.