Juan Fernandez Firecrown

A heavily built black-and-white bushshrike. The upperparts are cleanly black and the underparts are white with a pinkish tinge. Uses habitats with a dense understory, including riparian thickets, coastal scrub, forest, and gardens. Found in pairs, which usually skulk but sometimes hop about in the open. Similar to Tropical Boubou, but barely overlaps in range and lacks a white shoulder patch. Also similar to the smaller Black-backed Puffback, but separated by the lack of white on the upperparts. Has a diverse range of vocalizations, including a hollow rising whistle, up-and-down “laser gun” notes, rasps, and croaks, often delivered in a duet by a pair. 

A dumpy dark brown chat with an upright posture. It flies fast on short round wings, exposing bold white patches in the outer webs of the primary feathers that are diagnostic. Pairs and small groups occupy open grassy country, especially near dense collections of termite mounds. It sits on fences, rocks, or other perches and drops to the ground to pursue ants, termites, and other invertebrates to feed on. The song is a varied collection of whistles, clucks, and grating notes, including imitations of other species, while the call is a characteristic one-note high-pitched plaintive “peek.” No similar chats occur in the same range; the white wing patches of Southern Anteater-Chat are highly distinctive.

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.