Tepui Tinamou

A medium-sized pallid and delicately-patterned sandgrouse. Pale and sandy overall. Note male’s silver-gray eyebrow and orange cheek and throat. Female has a paler version of the male’s pattern, as well as a speckled nape and chest. Lacks breast bands, unlike Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse. Very similar to Crowned Sandgrouse, but note the present species’ tail filaments and different facial pattern. Note the strong contrast in two-toned underwings when in flight. Flight call is a characteristic “Waka! Waka!” Favors sandy or stony desert plains where it breeds on the ground. Congregates to drink in waterholes in the morning, often flying back and forth over long distances in large flocks.

Rarely observed, nocturnal bird of lowland rainforest. Considerably smaller than other potoos, and distinguished from them by bright rufous plumage spotted with white. Inhabits middle and upper levels of tall forest, especially in regions with sandy soils, where it sallies from exposed perches for flying insects. Roosts during the day on thin branches and camouflages itself remarkably well by swaying with the breeze as if to mimic a suspended dead leaf. Voice, unlike that of other potoos, is a rapid, descending series of hoots with a bubbling quality, given infrequently and only for short periods. Unlikely to be confused with anything else; plumage recalls Oilbird, but potoo is much smaller and perches vertically.

Long-tailed little bird of dry forest and scrub in northwest Mexico. Found as singles, pairs, or family groups, usually foraging at low to middle levels. Breeding plumage male (March–August) has black cap, but other plumages very similar to Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, a common migrant throughout the range of Black-capped. These species best separated by call note: Black-capped has lower and rougher call than mew of Blue-gray. Also note Blue-gray often has a pinkish base to its smaller bill (gray on Black-capped), a more distinct white eyering (face a little more "open" on Black-capped), and a shorter, less strongly graduated tail.