Brownish Twistwing

Short-billed hummingbird found near tree line in the high Andes. Male is deep green with a dark and sometimes glittering throat patch; female is similar but lacks throat patch and is scaled buff or rufous below. Tail color varies geographically; it can be green or blue, and it can even show a bit of rufous on top, though never as much as the tail of Tyrian Metaltail. Feeds on small flowers in páramo and at the edge of elfin forest.

A common mid-sized woodpecker of the Himalayas. Note brownish forehead, dark cheek stripe, distinctive black barring on white back, and white spots on black shoulders and wings. The yellow head is bordered by red feathers in the male and by black feathers in the female. Often moves in mixed flocks with other species through open woodlands, gardens, and forest edges. Calls include a sharp “pic” and various nasal, mewing sounds.

While the male does have a pale crown, his broad, round-edged black mask is far more noticeable. Female is plainer, with a brown crown and a small pale mask; the similar European and Chinese Penduline-Tit females have darker, more prominent masks. Breeds in shrubs and low trees in wet areas and winters in reedbeds, forests, and scrubby areas. Call is a drawn-out plaintive whistle, and song is short, ending on a decisive “chip” note.