Siamese Pied Starling

Fairly common on western slopes of the Andes and in interior valleys, favoring drier habitats with weedy brush on rocky slopes, and also agricultural areas with hedges and thickets. Often in pairs, foraging low in weedy brush, where can be hard to see well; agile and often active, clinging upside down at tips of branches. Identified by boldly streaked crown and back, weakly patterned or mostly plain underparts, and very long spiky-tipped tail. Compare with the bulkier Andean Tit-Spinetail (local overlap in Peru).

Impressively large bird restricted to lowland rainforest in northern Colombia. It is critically endangered due to deforestation and hunting pressure. Male is black with a white belly and tail tip, shaggy crest, and blue bulges at the base of the bill. Female has a chestnut belly, a variable amount of white barring on body and crest, and a hint of blue at the base of the bill. Younger birds have less blue in the bill. Mostly terrestrial, but may ascend to low branches to sing or when threatened. It is only likely to be encountered in protected areas such as El Paujil Bird Reserve and Tayrona National Park.

Large, ubiquitous yellow-bellied flycatcher found throughout most of Middle and South America, though tends to be uncommon at the far northern end of its range in the U.S. A classic “telephone wire” bird along roadsides and in towns. Prefers open areas with some trees and water. Most abundant in lowlands and foothills, but ventures up to over 3,000m in some parts of range. Listen for sharp, high-pitched twitters. Nearly identical to Couch’s Kingbird, which overlaps from Texas to Belize; best separated by voice. Larger and longer-billed than Western and Cassin’s Kingbird; also note paler brownish tail. Also very similar to White-throated (longer, forked tail) and Snowy-throated (dark mask) Kingbirds in some parts of South America.