Striated Babbler

This huge, macabre-looking stork has a massive dagger-like bill and naked pink head and neck that appear severely sunburned. A white ruff and loose inflatable skin on the neck add to its odd appearance. It soars effortlessly at great heights searching for food; note its white belly in flight. Marabous are equally content in wetlands or in dry bush; they are most frequently encountered lurking near carrion, as they attend kills of major predators and will opportunistically snatch scraps. They also readily scavenge around humans and waste dumps.

Critically endangered grebe found only on Lake Junín in the high Andes of central Peru. Adults are gray and white with a ruby-red eye; young birds have a brownish tinge. Extremely similar to the far more common Silvery Grebe, but Junin Grebe is slightly larger with a longer bill, a skinnier neck, darker flanks, and a paler bill. These differences are more evident when both species are present, to allow for direct comparison. Not easily seen or identified from the lakeshore; a boat is usually needed for close-up views.

A large gray and black cuckoo-dove with a distinctive fawn-colored crest which is not visible in flight. Found in primary and secondary forest across its range. Often heard at dawn and dusk giving its characteristic “wwwwwow whoop wow” calls from the canopy. Similar to Pied Cuckoo-Dove, though the two species’ range does not overlap. MacKinlay’s Cuckoo-Dove is smaller, slimmer, brown rather than gray, and has a much longer tail.