Violet-breasted Sunbird

A small, very dark brown shorebird with a very short thin bill and a distinct white eyebrow. Upperparts spotted with buff, underside spotted or barred with brown. Legs yellow or grayish. In flight, looks very dark with very rounded wings. Prefers coastal shoreline and bare gravel of tiny atolls. Combination of odd proportions, very short thin bill, and white eyebrow should make this species unmistakable. Most common call is a nasal “kek,” but when excited gives a loud piping whistle and a series of rising and falling trills.

Distinctive small grouse of dense coniferous forest, preferably with spruces. Usually very difficult to see. Spends most of its time on the ground but flushes with a distinctive wing whirr and may land high in trees. Males have a dark throat and dark tail tip, while females have a speckled white throat and shorter crest. Song of the male is surprisingly high and thin, recalling a Goldcrest.

A distinctive, fairly large hummingbird with a super long bill. Note the streaky throat and breast, and dull green upperparts with a coppery crown. The tail has a pale gray base, a broad black band, and white tips. Sexes similar, although female lacks toothlike serrations on bill (nearly impossible to see in the field). Found in lowlands and foothills from extreme eastern Panama to northwest Ecuador. Typically occurs within mature humid forest where it feeds in the lower to middle levels.