Red-tailed Shrike

A chunky bird with a notably thick pale bill. Dark brown on the upperparts and paler brown below, with some blurry breast streaking. Found in the understory and at middle levels of humid forest, including secondary forest. Rich, melodious, variable song consists of several penetrating whistles, generally in an up-and-down pattern. Calls include “chek” and “whit” notes. Somewhat similar to Rusty Pitohui, but smaller, lacking rufous underparts, with a dark rather than pale eye.

This striking cloud forest bird is only found in the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama. It is easily recognized by its buffy throat and neck. These feathers can be flared out when the bird is excited. Other plumage features include dark wings with buffy bars, mottled underparts, and cinnamon tail. Probes epiphytes or clumps of moss high up in large trees, and often accompanies mixed species flocks. Song is an energetic, decelerating series of notes often intermixed with squeaks; also gives sharp, metallic chips.

A striking black-and-yellow malimbe; the female lacks the yellow nape of the male. Juvenile has a pale bill and yellow on the crown and chin. A scarce and patchily distributed endemic resident of Upper Guinea, preferring the middle levels and canopy of tall primary and secondary lowland forest. Joins flocks, often with other malimbes, and gleans leaves and thin twigs looking for insects in the manner of a tit. Vocalizations are poorly known but include varied swizzling and chittering notes. Other malimbes in range have red rather than yellow highlights in their black plumage.