Lemon-chested Greenlet

A poorly known tapaculo found at high elevations near tree line in the northern reaches of Colombia’s western Andes. It was formerly considered a race of the more widespread Paramo Tapaculo. Adult is uniform gray, lacking obvious markings and without the brown coloration found on many other Andean tapaculos. Young birds are brown and heavily barred. Inhabits tangled understory of stunted forest and clumps of small bushes. Song is a long series of buzzy notes that is steady in pace but descends gradually in pitch.

Noisy, conspicuous, and often a common scavenger in habitats ranging from towns and cities to open forest, farmland, and beaches; ecological counterpart to crows. Often in groups, locally of tens or even hundreds, feeding on the ground or tumbling and sailing with agile flight; often chases and mobs larger raptors. Plumage brownish overall, often with gingery tones, and with variable paler dappling above and fine barring below. Bold creamy white wing panels and tail base striking in flight.

Spectacularly colorful and unmistakable long-billed insect-eater with a bright yellow throat, gemstone-blue belly, and flame-colored back. Found in open and semiopen country, mainly in drier areas; nests colonially in burrows dug into sand banks, often river banks. Usually seen perched on wires or circling in swallowlike flight, often in small groups; feeds by catching insects (especially bees) on the wing. Quite vocal, often giving distinctive pipping calls.