Lesser Greenlet

Attractive duck with distinctive triangular head; forehead slopes seamlessly into the long bill. Males are white-bodied with black chest, reddish-brown head, and red eye. Females are dull grayish-brown with unique head profile and dark brown eye. Breeds in lakes and marshes. Winters in any large body of water with submerged aquatic vegetation on which to feed. Dives frequently, searching for vegetation and invertebrates. Often gathers in large flocks in nonbreeding season.

A slender, rangy lark resembling a stretched pipit, with long pale legs, a long slender dark bill, and a long dark tail. Plainly plumaged and mostly unmarked except for diffuse breast streaking. Upperpart coloration varies geographically from gray-brown to rusty. Endemic to Somalia, where pairs are resident in arid grassland, avoiding areas with scrub. Stands upright and runs swiftly on long legs. Vocalizations undescribed. Lesser Hoopoe-Lark is plainer and paler than Somali Lark, and Greater Hoopoe-Lark is larger with bold markings on the face and wings. 

Unmistakable; glittering pinkish-purple throat is distinctive in good light, but also note the snowy white chest band, which is always obvious. Medium-sized with a rather short, straight bill. Like other sunangels, holds wings out for a few seconds after it lands. Based on plumage, could be confused with Purple-throated Woodstar, but the sunangel is larger with a much different flight style. The only sunangel within limited range on the west slope of Andes; occurs mostly in Ecuador, but barely extends into Colombia. Occurs in a rather narrow elevational band in the upper subtropical zone from around 1,700 to 2,300 m. Can be seen at all levels in the cloud forest, edges, and gardens, but most frequently at middle heights within the forest. Visits feeders.