Common Hill Myna

Colorful barbet of lowland rainforest west of the Andes; scarce and declining in northwestern Ecuador, but more common in parts of southwestern Colombia. Male is black and yellow with red crown, white throat, and streaked flanks. Female is heavily spotted with black below, and has black and yellow streaking on head. Usually stays high in trees and often joins mixed-species flocks. Male sings a series of ten or more soft “boo” notes; he hunches over and looks like he’s retching while singing.

A small, inconspicuous, and easily overlooked sunbird of mountain forests. At a distance, appears fairly uniform in color, but in good light the greenish back contrasts with the gray face, olive throat, pale belly, and reddish tufts on the sides of the body that are sometimes concealed by the wings. Bill is not overly long, but is distinctly curved. Within its range, most likely to be confused with Little Green Sunbird, but Ursula’s Sunbird has a plain face and more decurved, all black bill. Song varies, but always consists of sharp, high-pitched notes that are sometimes delivered as a jumble and sometimes as a single note followed by a descending pattern of quick, high pitched notes: “tsee-TSEE-TSI-tsi-tsi.” 

Small, active songbird with long, pale-tipped tail, speckled breast, and pale belly, endemic to the Santa Cruz Islands. Note orangish rump and tail base. Birds on Vanikoro and Utupua are significantly darker than birds elsewhere in range, with dark throats. Frequently cocks and fans tail. Inhabits wooded areas from the coast up into the highlands. Formerly grouped with other closely related species under “Rufous Fantail.”