Luzon Striped-Babbler

Huge, long-tailed, long-legged bird. Rufous belly and blue-and-pink bare facial skin. Found locally in dry deciduous forest, gallery forest, and spiny forest at low and middle elevations in west and southwest Madagascar. Usually found walking along the forest floor, but will ascend to thick spots in the canopy and mid-story, especially when calling. Sometimes shy, but sometimes much more approachable than typical couas. Most common vocalization is a loud “kwaaa” followed by several lower “ku” notes. Very similar to Coquerel’s Coua, but much larger, with pink facial skin. Similar to Red-capped Coua, but much larger, with a rufous belly. 

Common in foothills of the Andes, from barren rocky canyons to villages, agricultural terraces, and scrubby hillsides, mainly at lower elevations than Bright-rumped Yellow-Finch, which favors puna habitats. Male is well-named—drab greenish yellow overall. Female is notably drab and nondescript. In all plumages note lack of any streaking or contrastingly bright yellow areas. Compare with longer-winged Greater Yellow-Finch (some overlap of range in winter).

Large dove found in mature montane forests from the western U.S. and Canada into Middle and South America. Soft blue-gray above and unique purplish-gray below, with white crescent on the nape. Yellow feet. Bill is yellow with black tip in northern populations, all yellow in southern ones. Forms large flocks in coniferous forests and montane areas where it feeds on seeds and fruits. When it takes off, wings make loud clapping sound.