Hooded Monarch

A large finch of extreme conditions, this is a breeder of sparsely vegetated, often barren environments such as glacier and cliff edges, rocky slopes, scrubby open meadows, and boulder fields; descends into open or scrubby habitat in the winter. Male is dark streaky brown with a crimson face and breast; female is streaky brown all over with no hint of a facial pattern. Large size and habitat serve to distinguish this from similar species.

Fairly small sunbird with an unusually short, warbler-like bill. The male has an iridescent violet head and back, while the female has brownish upperparts and a pale eyebrow. Found in a variety of lush woodland habitats, including miombo and Guinea savanna. Often in pairs, and sometimes joins mixed-species flocks. Vocalizations include high-pitched calls, scolds, and a quick jumbled song. Very similar to Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird, but in the area of overlap, separated by the male’s violet rather than turquoise rump, and by the female’s yellow-tinged rather than pure-white belly.

A skulking, mostly rufous bird with a gray crown and a white throat bordered by black. Throat pattern and long, rufous tail are distinctive. Occurs only in understory of gallery forest in savanna regions along tributaries of the Rio Branco in northern Brazil and western Guyana. Usually in pairs, which clamber through low vegetation searching for insects. Almost always first detected by voice: a hard, doubled note, often given in alternation by members of a pair, and occasionally extended into a longer series, especially in response to playback. No similar species are likely to occur in same habitat.