Cinereous Finch

A bright and attractive small warbler with many virtually identical relatives. Breeds in foothill and montane forests, where it favors areas with a dense understory. Descends into lower elevations in the winter, when it often moves around with mixed flocks. Bright green above and yellow below, with a gray-and-black-striped crown and a bright yellow eyering; note intermediately strong crown patterning and distinct yellow eyering, often weak but not broken above the eye. Song is a series of lively whistles and chirps uttered in discrete bursts.

Small becard occurring from southwest Colombia to northwest Peru, mainly on the west slope of the Andes and in the Marañon drainage, but (perhaps seasonally?) on the east slope of the Andes as well. Mostly found in foothills, in middle to upper levels of humid montane forest, dry forest, and more open second-growth. Male is mostly gray with bold white edges on the wing feathers and a black cap with pale spectacles. Compare with White-winged Becard, which has a black back and dark lores. Female is very different; look for her brown cap bordered with black, white spectacles, pale yellowish belly, and tawny edges on wing feathers. Extremely similar to Black-and-white Becard, with potential range overlap on the east slope of the Andes in Ecuador and Peru. Male Cryptic shows a narrower upper wingbar, paler lores, a grayer upperside of the tail, and a more slender bill than Black-and-white. Female Cryptic has a duller brownish crown with a narrower black border. These features may all be difficult or impossible to assess in the field; some birds are best left unidentified. Also note voice: song a fast series of two sweet downslurred whistles followed by a stuttered upslurred whistle, often repeated two or three times. Black-and-white’s song is slower, with longer notes.

Fairly large and distinctive woodcreeper. Much more boldly marked than any other woodcreeper in range: obvious thick white streaking above and below. Found singly or in pairs, usually in forest, where you might see it hitching up the lower part of a tree trunk. Often follows mixed-species flocks. Listen for voice, a clear descending series of notes, usually stuttered at the beginning.