Rubeho Akalat

Small, mouse-like bird found in the high Andes of southern Ecuador and northern Peru. Male is mostly dark gray; female has brown upperparts and gray underparts. Both sexes have very faint barring on lower underparts and a few white feathers on the shoulder. The latter feature is shared by no other tapaculo in range, but can be quite inconspicuous in the field, so voice is usually the best way to confirm the ID. Typical song is a long, rattling trill lasting ten seconds or more; also gives short bursts repeated every few seconds. Inhabits high elevation forest and scrub near and above tree line. Usually stays low and can be hard to see. Formerly considered a subspecies of Paramo Tapaculo.

Small songbird with long, pale-tipped tail, tiny, thin bill. Gray above, pale below, with narrow pale wingbars and a thin black border between white throat and chest. Frequently cocks and fans tail. Subspecies vary in upperparts tone and extent of white in the tail. Inhabits wide range of habitats, very active in foraging, and rarely perches in the same place for long.

Ornate medium-sized woodpecker. Moss-green with blood-red wings and neck. Back edge of head and neck are brightened by a sunny yellow crest. Black-and-white “checker” throat is not particularly obvious. Prefers mature lowland and hill forests; seldom seen in secondary growth or sparsely-vegetated edge. Typically forages at mid-levels of forest, frequently singly but also in mixed flocks or pairs. Gives loud, insistent “nyeh” notes and a strident “choo-yik!”