Socotra Cisticola

Fairly common in southern South America, from bogs and streams in the Andes to beaches, lakeshores, and pastures; usually near water. Feeds on the ground with a hopping and shuffling gait, sometimes cocking tail; small flocks form in migration and winter. Often in same areas as other cinclodes, especially Gray-flanked Cinclodes in the Andes and Dark-bellied Cinclodes in lowlands. Buff-winged is distinguished by clay-brown plumage tones, plain breast (vs. obvious streaking on Dark-bellied and Gray-flanked), and broad buff wing stripe shown in its raised wing song display.

Small finch. Sharply pointed bill is pink in summer, grayish-brown in winter. Small head, long wings, and short, notched tail. Adult males in spring and summer are bright yellow with black forehead and wings. Females are dull yellow below and olive above with two distinct wingbars. In winter, they are drab, buffy-brown. Active and acrobatic. Sometimes in large numbers at feeders or on ground below. Found in weedy fields, cultivated areas, roadsides, orchards, and backyards.

Short-tailed antbird of forest understory. Both sexes have black face. Males are gray with white wingbars; females are brown above, buffy below, with cream wingbars and a white or buffy throat. Forages singly or in pairs low in the undergrowth of mature forest. Usually inhabits more mature forest than similar White-browed Antbird, but there is some overlap. Note differences in facial pattern; males lack the white eyebrow and females lack the orange eyebrow seen on White-browed Antbirds. Female Black-faced Antbirds also have browner underparts than White-browed. Listen for an even-paced series of 5–7 whistles that is slightly higher in the middle. In the southern part of its range, these whistles are pure-toned; in the north, they are harsher.