Rufous Piha

A large, crested woodpecker with a golden-olive back endemic to wet lowland and foothill forests in southwestern India. Separated from Common Flameback and other “small-billed” flamebacks by a much larger bill, a mottled black-and-white nape instead of a black nape, and a divided black horizontal stripe below the cheek. Separated from the similarly large-billed White-naped Woodpecker by the less clean-cut face pattern, a red rump, the lack of a clean white nape, and a preference for wetter habitat. A loose participant in mixed-species foraging flocks, often detected by its loud, high-pitched trill similar to that of Common Flameback.

Dingy, terrestrial flycatcher found only at very high elevations in the Andes. It has brown upperparts, white underparts, and a white eyebrow. Crown may show a brown tinge, but never bright chestnut like on some other ground-tyrants. Inhabits open areas away from forest. Stands vertically on the ground or a low perch, frequently flicking wings and tail, before suddenly darting after insects and other small prey.

Tiny waterbird, the size of an elongated grapefruit. In nonbreeding plumage, they are black above and white below with a black stripe on the side of the neck and a white comma behind eye. Short, stout bill. Horizontal posture like a football floating on the water. Dives frequently when feeding. In winter, only likely to be seen from land following the passage of a storm, otherwise stays well offshore. Found singly or in flocks. Much smaller than guillemots or puffins, with fast wingbeats and low, twisting flight that recalls a flock of sandpipers. Breeds in large numbers in Greenland and Europe; rare at alcid breeding colonies in Alaska. Birds in breeding plumage have an all-black head and chest.