Atoll Starling

Medium to large woodcreeper of humid evergreen and pine-evergreen forest in highlands and foothills. Feeds at all levels on trunks and larger branches, often at bromeliads. Straightish and rather stout bill is dark above and pale below. Note the pale buff spectacles and distinct pale spotting and scalloping on head, breast, and back (populations south of western Honduras lack spotting on back.)

Medium-sized, short-tailed antbird with a bright red eye. Has slate gray head and breast, black throat, brown belly and upperparts, and whitish dotted wings. Female is similar but has a white barred throat and buffy dots in the wings. No overlap with the similar Dull-mantled or Esmeraldas Antbirds. Often found in pairs, typically in rocky shaded ravines along streams in foothills. Often quite vocal; song a strong, relatively high-pitched series of notes “fee-feet-feet-FEET-feteu-feek!”, and call is a harsh “FEeuh.”

Brightly-colored and social, this long-tailed passerine can often be found perched up overlooking the canopy or flying overhead. Very similar to Scarlet, Long-tailed, and Short-billed minivets. Similar-looking Scarlet Minivet has two disjunct bright patches on the wings, whereas these patches are connected in Fiery. Other minivets are larger overall and brighter red (versus more orange) in adult male plumage. Female Fiery’s reddish-orange rump is unique and if seen separates her from other female black-and-red minivets. Inhabits lowland and foothill forests and forest edge. Gives a high, thin, rising “swee.”