Band-tailed Antbird

Large, stocky, long-tailed sparrow. Uniform matte brown body, with buffy throat and orange undertail coverts. Also note reddish-brown crown and messy dark streaks on upper breast (usually with a dark central spot). Occurs in deserts and dry grasslands with scattered dense shrubs. Forages primarily for seeds by running and hopping on the ground. Visits feeders. Essentially no range overlap with the very similar California Towhee; also note Canyon has reddish crown and lacks rusty tones on face.

A fairly large weaver with a long thin pointed bill. The male has a pale eye, and during the breeding season a brownish wash to the ear. Non-breeding males and females are dull, with olive-green upperparts and paler underparts. Found locally in areas with a mix of trees, bushes, and abundant grassy ground cover. Nests adjacent water. Gives a typical weaver chattering and rasping song, and a “chek” call. Breeding males are distinctive, and other plumages can be identified with caution by a combination of their size, long and thin bill, and the pale eyes of the males.

Small screech-owl with a scattered distribution in the Andes. It inhabits cloud forest in southeastern Ecuador and northern Peru, as well as a few locations in Colombia and Venezuela. Most birds have bright cinnamon-buff plumage, but some are brown and tan. Distinguished from the similar Rufescent Screech-Owl by the lack of any white marks on the shoulders, and by voice. Song is a fast, rising and falling series of soft “pu” notes. The speed at which the notes are given is quite variable.