Muisca Antpitta

An entirely dark boubou found in thickets and dense vegetation. Widespread, but can be surprisingly rare and local in many parts of its range. A distinctively nondescript medium-sized skulking forest bird whose most obvious field mark is a lack of field marks, as it is wholly dark all over. The scientific name, which means “white-billed,” refers to young birds, whose bills start out white and darken with age. Similar to other species of sooty boubou, but Lowland Sooty Boubou is found at lower elevations and has a distinctive voice: a series of drawn out, ringing hoots or whistles, given singly or in short groups. Calls are harsh, sometimes mechanical chatters. 

Chunky, dark robin-like bird. Males are black with a white shoulder patch, while females are solidly dark gray. Found in grassland, open woodland, and farmland, often in areas with lots of termite mounds. The song is a variable, exuberant mix of whistling and rattling notes which can be given from a prominent perch or in display flight. Similar to Northern Anteater-Chat, but lacks large white patches in the outer wing. Also similar to White-fronted Black-Chat, but larger and chunkier, and male lacks white front.

While furtive, this tiny skulker is distinctive if seen well. Short-tailed and large-headed in profile, somewhat like a vole or shrew. Brown with a pale throat, white eyebrow, and white speckling on the upper body. Both undersides and uppersides are streaked with white, though the prominence of this streaking depends on the lighting. Appearance varies slightly across range. Song, composed of a single airy monotone or slightly falling whistle repeated at 3- to 5-second intervals, is hauntingly ventriloquial. Found in tropical and subtropical evergreen forests with dense understoreys, from lowlands up into submontane areas.