White-shouldered Tanager

Long known to ornithologists as something different (and informally called “Millpo Tapaculo”), this bird was finally described as a new species in 2020. It inhabits grassy, rock-strewn areas above tree line at high elevations in the eastern Andes of central Peru. Plumage is mainly gray with tan rear parts that are faintly barred, and it sometimes shows a faint, whitish eyebrow; female is browner than male. Similar in appearance to several other tapaculos, and best identified by range and voice. Song, often given from atop a rock, is a seemingly endless series of raspy chip notes.

A large, crested woodpecker with a golden-olive back endemic to wet lowland and foothill forests in southwestern India. Separated from Common Flameback and other “small-billed” flamebacks by a much larger bill, a mottled black-and-white nape instead of a black nape, and a divided black horizontal stripe below the cheek. Separated from the similarly large-billed White-naped Woodpecker by the less clean-cut face pattern, a red rump, the lack of a clean white nape, and a preference for wetter habitat. A loose participant in mixed-species foraging flocks, often detected by its loud, high-pitched trill similar to that of Common Flameback.

A small streaky bird of open habitats from Patagonian steppe grassland to marshes, agricultural fields, and high Andean bogs; widespread and often common. In much of range the only pipit: note boldly streaked plumage, slender bill, and white sides to tail (best seen in flight). In areas with other pipits, note that Correndera has boldly streaked back, often with paler “braces” and strong blackish streaking on flanks; also note voice. Like other pipits, often sings in flight, high overhead.