Forbes's Blackbird

A beautiful ground-dweller of well-shaded forests. Adult mostly green above, creamy tan below, with vivid red patch in undertail and central belly and multicolored head, with black mask, tan eyebrow, white throat, and rufous-and-black crown. The similar Blue-winged Pitta has vivid blue wings. In flight, note bright green wings with electric blue shoulder and white patch. Four-syllabled song consists of paired, clear whistles, “pee-yu, pee-yu.”

Dark raptor that soars with a "V" or dihedral shape and rocks side-to-side in flight. Black overall with silver bars on flight feathers and white banded tail. Yellow feet and cere; small pale gray area in front of eyes. Sexes similar; immature similar to adult but lacking dark trailing edge to wings and with more finely banded banded gray and black tail. Shape and flight style remarkably similar to Turkey Vulture. Plumage much like Common Black Hawk but wing shape is very different. Rarely seen perched. Found in a variety of habitats, including mountains, deserts, and mangroves.

Uncommon and range-restricted in western Amazonia. This shy, secretive antbird prefers the dense, shrubby understory vegetation in seasonally flooded forests and other similar habitats. Male has uniform dark grayish plumage and blackish head. Female is generally brownish, darker in the wing coverts and tail. Note the deep red iris.