Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

Long-tailed parakeet with a dark brown head, pale cheeks, and a scalloped breast. Note the lack of red on the shoulders and the blue forehead. Found in humid forests, where most often encountered in groups flying noisily through the subcanopy or feeding quietly. Often seen at clay licks.

Small jacamar with a pale brown head and bluish-black wings and tail. Smaller than other jacamars in range, with a shorter tail. Note the brown breast and chestnut band on the upper belly that contrast with the white throat, belly, and undertail. Sexes similar. No overlap with the superficially similar Brown Jacamar. Locally common, found in pairs or groups in the top of trees or exposed branches in dry forest and edges, gallery forest, and savanna woodlands. Song is a series of high pitched notes that accelerate to end in shorter trills “weet, weeet, weeet, t’weet-t’ t’weet’ t’weet’ weet’ ti’ti’ti’t’t’t.”

This subtly handsome finch is unique in its range; warm sandy brown with bright pink and silver flashes in the wings. Sexes are similar, but the male boasts a restricted black mask extending from the front of the eye to the base of the stout charcoal-black bill, which the female lacks. Not restricted to deserts but generally does prefer dry, open areas in middle to high altitude regions. Frequents villages, towns, and even cities. Gives a tumbling series of random-sounding notes, usually with a rather hoarse, buzzy quality. Calls include “chip” and “chink” notes and buzzy wheezes.