Screaming Piha

Endangered songbird restricted to the western slopes of the northern part of Colombia’s eastern Andes. Note the white spectacles, striped face, and barred wings and tail. Very similar to the widespread Rufous-and-white Wren, but duller brown, lacking rich chestnut tones in the plumage, and its song tends to be faster and higher in pitch. Range is also helpful for ID, since the two species have limited, if any, overlap. Skulks in the understory of dry to semi-humid forest as well as in shady coffee and cacao plantations.

Very large shorebird that is similar to Eurasian and Water Thick-knees, but with a longer and heavier bill. Also note the gray mid-wing panel without a black-and-white upper border. Immature Eurasian Thick-knees can also have a simpler wing pattern similar to Senegal, and identification of those birds best determined by structure and habitat. More connected to aquatic habitats than Eurasian Thick-knee, but not as much as Water Thick-Knee. Noisy, especially at night, producing a variety of loud whistles and trills.

A green and brown barbet with prominent pale streaks on its brown head and breast. The brown throat and green wings with white speckling on the shoulders are characteristic of this species. Also note the large area of dull yellow facial skin and the brown-yellow bill that both turn orange-red when breeding. Immature is similar but duller. Heard more often than seen. Several calls exist, but the most common call is similar to the White-cheeked Barbet’s “kutrook-kutrook-kutrook,” but it is more mellow, sonorous, and less sharp sounding. Generally prefers drier woodlands compared to White-cheeked Barbet though they co-occur in many localities.