Gray-crested Tit

Dark, chunky barbet with a conspicuous buff tuft of feathers on its forehead. Usually found in small groups on and around dead trees in rainforest, secondary growth, and plantations, often alongside Naked-faced or Gray-throated Barbets. The vocalizations include nasal “squeaky toy” calls, a dry rattle, and a series of identical hollow hoots. Very similar to Naked-faced Barbet, but has a large tuft above the bill. Also similar to Gray-throated Barbet, but has a mostly unfeathered head and a pale bill.

Large, stocky, long-tailed sparrow. Uniform matte brown, with rich cinnamon tones on face and orange undertail coverts. Also note very limited streaking on upper breast with no central spot. Occurs in chaparral and other tangled shrubby, dry habitats. At home in neighborhoods and gardens in lowland California towns. Forages primarily for seeds by running and hopping on the ground. Visits feeders. Essentially no range overlap with the very similar Canyon Towhee; also note California has plain brown crown and obvious rusty tones on face.

Very small tanager, widespread and common in lowlands and foothills of northern South America. Male is indigo-blue with narrow black mask, black throat, and black wings. Note long decurved bill and yellow legs to separate from other honeycreepers in most of range. Female much different: she is mostly green with pale streaking on underparts, a grizzled buffy-brown face, and a blue mustache stripe. Extremely similar to Shining Honeycreeper, but very little range overlap. Male Shining has larger black throat patch and slightly shorter bill; female has duller, grayer crown and less buffy face. Usually in small groups, often accompanying a mixed-species flock in the canopy. Found in forests, edges, and gardens.