Yellowish Pipit

A large, black ground bird of montane rainforests. Bare facial skin is pale-blue in the male and dull gray in the female. Red wattles on the head and chest are reduced in the female. Very shy and difficult to see. Roams the forest floor, scraping leaves to uncover fallen fruit, seeds and invertebrates. Similar to other brushturkeys but Wattled has a vertically-flattened tail with maroon rump and darker legs. Usually quiet but can give a sharp series of “ki! kekekekekeke” with the first note higher.

Large, boldly patterned shorebird of high Andean bogs, wetlands, and lakeshores; also ranges into grassy pastures in the northern part of its range. Usually in pairs or loose flocks, feeding with typical stop-start action of plovers. Little or no range overlap with Southern Lapwing of lowlands and foothills. Note dove-gray head and breast (no crest) and pink bill and legs (duller on immature). In flight shows bold black-and-white pattern on wings and tail. Often noisy, especially when flushed.

A very small gregarious species of open habitats including agricultural areas and the edges of marshes; often found in flocks of tens to hundreds. Note the black face and crown, brown wings, and long reddish orange uppertail coverts (concealing black tail) of breeding male. Nonbreeding males and females distinguished from similar Black-winged Bishop by smaller size and bill and told from Yellow-crowned Bishop by buffier coloration and more limited streaking on chest. Song is a rapid jumble of squeaky, twittering, and churring notes. Its calls include a sharp “tsit” and “tzit.”