Taita White-eye

Tiny and active sunbird of forest edges and open woodlands, endemic to Palawan. Male is olive-gray above, with an extensive iridescent blue-black throat, an orange breast patch, and a pale yellow belly. Female is olive above, with a bright yellow eyebrow and underparts; compare with the smaller and duller female Lovely Sunbird, as well as the larger and duller Brown-throated Sunbird. In both sexes, note white tail edges that are flared out in flight. Gives a bright, fizzy song and rising “weet?” notes. Formerly grouped with other, closely related species under “Olive-backed Sunbird.”

Plump chickenlike bird found on the ground inside montane forest from extreme western Venezuela to extreme northern Peru. Dark brownish overall with a paler throat, messy vermiculation on the upperparts and flanks, and a warm tawny belly. Occurs from around 1,500m-3,200m, within forest. Very rarely seen. Listen for its song, a series of repeated querulous notes.

Distinctive and often noisy and conspicuous. The only dark gull in its range in the Humboldt Current. Common over inshore waters and along the coast on sandy beaches, at river mouths, and on adjacent rocky coasts, but breeds inland in remote areas of the Atacama Desert. Breeding adult has a white head while immatures are brown overall; all ages have slender black bill and dark legs. Immatures look like adults in 3 years.