Cape Cormorant

A small bird of montane forest undergrowth, where it perches motionless for long periods. Sooty-gray above with white under the base of the tail and on the belly blending to an orange chest and throat, slightly paler on the chin. Most races have a short, thin white eyebrow. Similar to Mugimaki Flycatcher, but has pinkish rather than black legs and lacks any white marks in the wing. Song is a simple, very high-pitched whistled melody.

A medium-sized, dark nightjar of tepui highlands, difficult to identify by plumage alone. Cryptically patterned with dark brown and gray accented with buffy and whitish bars and spots. Male has a white band in the wing, which the female lacks. Uncommon, found in humid forest and edges, as well as humid scrub close to forested areas. Distinctive voice is a hoarse whistle “whoEEuuu”, given repeatedly. Larger than the similar Band-winged Nightjar, and smaller than Blackish Nightjar, but best identified by voice and habitat.

Look for the notably long, extremely decurved bill. Otherwise a typical woodcreeper, mostly warm brown with buffy streaks on the head and breast. Easy to identify when the only scythebill in range, but does overlap with other scythebill species. Especially beware of Curve-billed Scythebill, which typically has less streaking on the back (but streaking is variable across range, hence some might be best left unidentified). Red-billed’s red bill is usually obvious enough to distinguish from Brown-billed Scythebill, but can be difficult to judge in certain conditions. Note Red-billed is often found in drier forest than Brown-billed. Hitches up tree trunks much like a woodpecker. Most often seen following mixed-species flocks in the forest, sometimes in adjacent second growth. Typically below 1,000 m, but locally higher.