White Eared-Pheasant

Rusty edges to feathers and pale eyebrow in winter contrast with blackish feather bases. Breeding males are glossy black. Shorter tail than Common Grackle. Thinner bill than Red-winged Blackbird. Found in wooded swamps. Often in flocks; frequently mixes with Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackle in winter. Look for flocks perched at tops of trees bordering marshes and listen for their calls to help pick them out from large flocks of blackbirds.

This stunning little bird is quite common in cloud forest in the subtropical and temperate zones in the Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia. It is bright rufous above with a white eyebrow and throat and bold white spotting on underparts. Could be confused with Montane Woodcreeper, but note much shorter bill. Singles or pairs forage with mixed-species flocks, usually hitching along mossy branches in the middle to upper levels of forest. Occurs from around 2,000–3,500 m.

Large swallow with pointed wings and slightly forked tail. Males are deep iridescent purple; females are also entirely dark, but are brownish below, with faint scaling. Migrates within South America; at some times of year, occurs with other very similar martin species, making identification difficult. Females lack the light belly of similar Purple and Gray-breasted Martins; males essentially indistinguishable from Purple Martin.