Barred Parakeet

Small and distinctive warbler-like bird, often difficult to see well. The male has a black head with contrasting white eyebrows and throat, gray upperparts, and striking pinkish-red underparts. The female has a buffy face, chest, and undertail coverts, whitish belly, and gray upperparts. Prefers canopy vine tangles and river edges, where it may occur lower; creeps through vegetation, alone or with mixed-species flocks, feeding on insects. Generally uncommon and inconspicuous. Plumage is unlike any other species in range. Song is a series of soft, rising whistles.

This subtly handsome finch is unique in its range; warm sandy brown with bright pink and silver flashes in the wings. Sexes are similar, but the male boasts a restricted black mask extending from the front of the eye to the base of the stout charcoal-black bill, which the female lacks. Not restricted to deserts but generally does prefer dry, open areas in middle to high altitude regions. Frequents villages, towns, and even cities. Gives a tumbling series of random-sounding notes, usually with a rather hoarse, buzzy quality. Calls include “chip” and “chink” notes and buzzy wheezes.

Large, bulky rosefinch. Male is pinkish-red below with a streaked brown back. Female is streaky dust-brown all over. Both sexes are very similar to Great Rosefinch; look out for dark streaking on the back in both, as well as smaller white, more solid-looking white spots on the underparts of the male. Breeds in dry open expanses with sparse scrubby vegetation at around 3700-5200 meters. Winters in similar habitat, sometimes descending to lower elevations. Song consists of somewhat hoarse whistled notes. Gives a sparrow-like “chweep” and a shorter “chep.”