White-throated Bee-eater

An unmistakable medium-sized tanager with a black back, a white rump, and two white wingbars. Note the rusty throat and sides. Inhabits grasslands with scattered trees. The noisy song, which is usually delivered in a duet consists of melodic whistles; “whew chid-di-di-wee-wee-tyóó chid-d-o-wóó chi-d-dee-tyóó.”

Active little bird of shrubbery, hedges, and gardens, mainly in the Andes, but down to coast in northern Chile and Peru. Usually in pairs or family groups and not with mixed-species flocks. Feeds low to high at fruit and flowers, rarely staying still long and often hidden in foliage. Grayish overall with variable buffy wash to underparts. Best identified by white eyebrow, sharply pointed bill, and small white wing flash; no other species in range looks very similar.

An unusual slim babbler with a very long tail. Paler than most other babblers in range, gray-brown overall with scaling on the breast, a yellowish bill, and pale blue bare skin around the eye. Found in areas of dense undergrowth within dry thorn savanna and thorn scrub, almost always in small groups. Somewhat similar to other babblers, especially Rufous Chatterer, but much paler and generally found in drier habitat. An inconspicuous and skulking bird that is usually detected by call: quiet, high-pitched “tsit” notes that sound like a dry twig scraping on a windowpane.