Waller's Starling

A medium-sized, big-billed pale ashy-gray songbird with a rufous belly. Black eye is conspicuous on pale gray head. Juveniles show brown edgings to wing and tail feathers. A small island specialist, found in scrub, forest, and plantations in the lowlands, and on some islands into the foothills. Lack of black facial markings separates it from adult Black-faced Monarch. Absence of gray semicircle in front of the eye rules out juvenile Black-faced Monarch. Song is a “whitcheeoo,” descending in pitch. Calls include rasping “schuk” notes.

Scarce tanager found in stunted forest at treeline in the high Andes from central Colombia south through Ecuador, barely reaching Peru. Plumage is golden-yellow with a black face and throat; wings are black with some blue markings. Usually found in pairs or small groups that move furtively through the vegetation, often with mixed-species flocks.

A distinctive plump, short-tailed, long-legged bird with a bold red belly. Note the rusty nape, black throat, broad blue chest band bordered below with a thick black line, and greenish upperparts. Singles or pairs forage on the forest floor or call from a low perch within forest and secondary growth. More abundant in the lowlands but also occurs in the foothills. No similar species in range. Song is typical of the genus, with a quivering, rising first note and a falling, mournful second whistle: “waaaaop-aaaaaawoo.”