Subantarctic Shearwater

This spectacular hummingbird was only discovered in 2017, and made headlines when it was described as a new species to science a year later. It is currently known only from one mountain in the Andes of southwestern Ecuador called Cerro de Arcos. Male’s entirely blue throat separates it from the otherwise similar Ecuadorian Hillstar, which does not overlap in range. Female is much duller than male, with greenish upperparts, brownish belly, and green speckles on the throat. Found in paramo at very high elevations, where it feeds on Chuquiraga flowers, which are orange and shaped like tiny pine cones.

Little-known medium-sized owlet-nightjar restricted to the mountainous Karimui Basin of eastern Papua New Guinea. Dark gray overall with fine barring; note chevrons on breast, thick black “eyebrows” that wrap around the head, and a black crown stripe extending down between the eyes; compare with other quite differently-marked montane owlet-nightjars, such as Mountain and Feline. Vocalizations poorly known.

A small, long-billed, long-tailed bird of dense tangled undergrowth in lowland forest. Has olive-green wings, back, and tail, a pale belly, a gray head and chest with streaks, a rufous forehead and mask, and orange legs. Similar in habits and shape to White-browed Tailorbird, but lacks the black head and white brow. Also similar to Phillipine Leaf-Warbler, but has a longer bill and usually cocks its tail. Song is an accelerating series of slightly rising notes ending in a staccato trill.