Gray Longbill

Medium-sized olive green bird with a small head, massive eyes, and a short stocky bill. Olive-green apart from brownish wings and tail. Very secretive; found in the understory and middle levels of humid forests and second growth. The song is a loud double whistle.

Cryptically patterned nightbird; widespread and common in Central and South America, limited U.S. range. Found in shrubby woodlands. Patterned with gray, gold, and brown; note especially cinnamon cheeks and golden edges on back and wing feathers. In flight, note white outer tail feathers and white bar across the wings. Roosts on the ground during the day; actively hunts for insects at night. Song is a distinctive, rich, slightly buzzy "pur-WEEooo." Relatively long tail compared with other similar nightbirds.

Active and attractive songbird of open spaces. Breeds in open forests and scrubby vegetation in subalpine areas; winters in a wider altitudinal range in scrubby forest edges, gardens, and fields. Frequently bobs the orange-sided dark tail. Male sports a gray crown and nape, black face, orange underparts, and dark wings with a white wing patch. Females are brownish overall but share the male's bright tail and wing patch. Compare carefully with Common, Hodgson’s, and Black Redstarts. Song is a lively, jingling cascade of warbling; calls include a short, high-pitched whistle and a hard “tsak.”