Ethiopian Cisticola

Small, furtive, ground-dwelling songbird with thin white eyebrow. Adult males are slaty above and dusky ochre below, with a bright white eyebrow. Female is duller and browner overall, with a thinner eyebrow. Breeds in montane forests, favoring areas with a dense brushy understory, such as dwarf bamboo or Rhododendron. Descends into foothills during the winter, generally in similarly dense habitats. Song is a short burst of pleasant warbled notes, and calls include a rising and mellow “wheet.”

Brightly-colored yuhina with a bright orange patch on the back of the crest. Brown wings, orange vent, and gray head. Similar to Whiskered and Stripe-throated Yuhinas, but without Whiskered’s prominent white throat and dark forecrest, and without Stripe-throated’s all-brown crest. Inhabits broadleaf forests at middle to high elevations, preferring oak stands with a dense rhododendron understory. Gives soft high-pitched twitters.

Large, noisy wren of dry and semi-humid areas; ranges from western Ecuador south to central Peru. Upperparts, sides, and tail are boldly barred with gray and white, and breast is spotted with gray. Similar to Band-backed Wren, but lacks chestnut on underparts, has paler breast spots, and prefers more arid habitats. Pairs or small groups forage conspicuously in bushes and trees, giving a variety of harsh, raspy calls.