Pampas Meadowlark

Attractive large hummingbird, green and long billed with an iridescent violet patch on chest (male), orange wing patch, and white tipped tail. Both sexes have buff scaling on underparts; female has a white moustache and buffy scaled throat and chest. Territorial, usually found alone at mid-level in secondary forest, forest edges, and heliconia and banana patches, often at mid and lower elevations in cloud forest and premontane humid forest. Voice a sharp and repetitive “chit” note. Female similar to female of Violet-fronted Brilliant but shows orange wing patch and buffy underparts.

Beautiful small bunting of lowlands and foothills; endemic to west Mexico. Occurs in brushy woodland and edge, adjacent weedy fields, and open grassy areas. Often in small groups, feeding on roadside grasses and flushing up with brilliant blue flashes. Also feeds at all levels in fruiting trees and bushes. Male unmistakable: electric turquoise blue and green above; rich yellow below with a burnished orange breast. Female duller overall: greenish above and yellow below, with a bluish tail. Female brighter yellowish below than slightly larger female Painted Bunting.

An unusual paradise-flycatcher, slate-gray overall with a slightly darker head. Males have slightly elongated central tail feathers. Both sexes have a blue bill and ring around the eye. A poorly known bird that is found in humid forest at lower middle elevations along the west side of the Albertine Rift. Similar in shape to other paradise-flycatchers, but easily separated by the gray underparts. Reminiscent of Dusky and Blue-headed Crested-Flycatchers, but larger and less crested, with more vertical posture. Call is a series of tearing “shreet” notes, and song is a fast, bubbling series of “twee” notes.