Alta Floresta Antpitta

Heavily-streaked hummingbird with an amazing hooklike bill. It ranges in humid foothill forest along the east slope of the Andes, where it overlaps widely with the similar White-tipped Sicklebill. Both species have white tips to the tail, but note Buff-tailed’s buffy edges on the tail feathers and glittering blue or green patches on the sides of the neck. Feeds primarily on “lobster claw” Heliconia flowers and is rarely encountered away from them. Song is an extended, rollicking series of soft chirps given from a concealed perch. Not known to visit feeders.

Black-headed tit with white edges to the wing feathers. Varies geographically: pale-buff on the belly with a brown eye in the eastern part of the range, and rich-rufous with a yellow eye in the western part of the range. Found in low densities in broadleaf woodland, mainly miombo, though locally also in mopane and Zambezi teak woodland. Vocalizations are classic scratchy tit calls and clear, high-pitched up-and-down series.

Large, glossy-black bird with a wedge-shaped tail. Larger than a crow with a longer, thicker bill. Distinctive shape in flight, with rather long, swept-back wings and long tail. Note smoother, steadier wingbeats compared with faster, choppier wingbeats of crows. Extensive range throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Found in a wide variety of habitats, including desert, coniferous forest, coastlines, sagebrush, tundra, and grasslands. Often solitary or in pairs, but can gather in small groups. Typical call is a loud, guttural croak, but makes an astonishing variety of other strange noises. Compare with Chihuahuan Raven in the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, and with various large, all-dark crows and ravens in Europe and Asia.