Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant

Elegant lapwing with a white stripe through eye (like a sunglass strap), a red wattle in front of the eye, and a thick and complete black breast-band. Smaller and shorter-legged than Masked Lapwing. Not generally an urban bird, it is more common inland. In more coastal areas it tends to be limited to areas with very short grass (e.g., airports, turf farms).

Handsome blue-and-black jay of tropical forests, woodlands, and gardens endemic to west Mexico. Usually in small groups, which can be noisy and conspicuous or very quiet and easily overlooked; often with Yellow-winged Caciques. Around the town of San Blas (in Nayarit, Mexico), appreciably larger Purplish-backed Jay occurs at southern end of its range (and northern end of San Blas Jay’s range). Purplish-backed is deep purplish blue on back and tail, not strikingly two-toned blue-and-black like San Blas Jay, and has bright yellow legs. Voices also very different. Purplish-backed occurs in mangroves and adjacent woodlands in and around town while San Blas Jay occurs in foothill forest of coffee plantations south of town.

Huge, wide-ranging vulture of the Andes, but also ranges into lowlands in southern Chile and Tierra del Fuego. Locally fairly common in Chile and adjacent Argentina, less numerous northward. Mainly seen as singles or pairs, sailing high over ridges, but tens can gather at roosts and to scavenge at carcasses. Size alone is diagnostic, but can be difficult to judge at a distance: note very long “fingers” at wingtips and white collar of adult. Adult also has diagnostic big white panels on upperwing, visible as birds bank. Immatures dark overall, becoming like adult in about 5 years.