Rusty Flowerpiercer

Attractive bird found in a variety of semiopen and lightly wooded habitats, mainly in drier areas of the Andes, as well as across the lowlands from northern Argentina to southern Brazil. Usually in pairs or small groups, not with mixed-species flocks. Forages low to high in shrubs and trees. Male is colorful, with a bright blue head and yellow underparts and rump; back is greenish in Chile and north in the Andes to Ecuador, but black in eastern lowlands. Female is rather drab and is best identified by stout bill and presence of males.

Large woodpecker found in both dry and humid forest in western Ecuador, northwestern Peru, and far southwestern Colombia. Note red head, white “V” on black back, white neck stripes, and barred lower underparts. On female, white neck stripe extends to beak. Similar to Lineated Woodpecker, but Guyaquil Woodpecker’s back stripes converge in a “V”, and it lacks a dark mask around the eye. Often perches on dead trees, and periodically pounds out a loud, powerful burst of knocks.

A small, speckle-backed cormorant that is common and widespread in fresh water. The adult is blackish with a short black crest above the bill. Immatures are brownish with paler underparts. Although they share the same habitat with Great Cormorant, Long-tailed Cormorants can be separated by their much smaller size, red eyes, and proportionately longer tails. Generally, Long-tailed Cormorant avoids the marine habitats of the similar-looking Crowned Cormorant, which has a larger crest, an unspeckled back, and a shorter tail.