Junin Tapaculo

A large, richly colored greenbul, yellow-olive on the back and yellow below with a red eye. Found locally in humid forest at middle elevations, usually in groups, at middle levels of the forest and in the sub-canopy. More colorful than other greenbuls that overlap in range. Similar to Prigogine’s Greenbul, but distinguished by the lack of gray on the face and lack of white on the chin. Named for its exuberant song, several chattering calls that ascend and accelerate into a bubbly, explosive sequence, usually given by multiple birds together. 

A bulbul-sized olive-brown bird that sports a diagnostic all-red bill and a red eye surrounded by a fleshy yellow wattle. The juvenile lacks the bright bill and eye coloration. Small groups occur in savanna and farmland, where they require large wild ungulates and domestic stock to forage on; they clamber agilely over host mammals, gleaning ticks, mites, and other ectoparasites, and occasionally drinking host blood. As they fly between large mammals, they give a distinctive “tsik-tsik” call. The similar Yellow-billed Oxpecker differs from Red-billed Oxpecker by having a yellow bill base and pale rump and lacking an eye-wattle.

Small heron, usually found in reed beds, expansive marshes, and rice fields; can occasionally be found in parks with sheltered areas, particularly lotus ponds and shaded pools. Generally uncommon throughout its range; never in the high densities of Yellow Bittern. Male is smartly attired, with a black cap, brown back, and a white neck and breast with a dark line extending down from the throat. Female is darker, with fine white spotting on the back and pale brown streaks on the throat. Compare with Cinnamon Bittern. Males give a gruff “roof, roof, roof” on the breeding grounds.