Tatama Tapaculo

Large, brown-backed, orange-breasted thrush with bold white wingbars. Found in the understory of middle- and high-elevation forest. Generally shy and scarce. The song is musical and typically thrush-like: a chatty and cheerful series of whistles. The call is a very thin, rising trill. Very similar to Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, but has a different pattern on the head: an olive crown, black bar below the eye, and a broken white eye ring.

Plain tit with a grayish-brown body and contrasting black-and-white head pattern. Very similar to Willow Tit and difficult to separate, but note the general lack of a prominent wing panel, smaller-headed appearance, and smaller, neater bib. These criteria, however, are generally more reliable in western European range than in Asian range. Inhabits deciduous woodland, older orchards, and gardens; sometimes visits bird feeders. Voice is diagnostic in western Europe, but much less so in Asia; song is a repetitive series of “chew” notes (essentially a slow trill) and calls include a bright “pitchu, pitchu” and “tsiptsip.” Favors deciduous wooded habitat.

Beautiful black-helmeted sparrow of forest understory. Contrasting black head, bright yellow bill, white throat and underparts, light gray mantle, yellow-green back and rump, gray wings and tail, and golden shoulders. Female has duller bill and buff-tinged underparts. Found alone or in pairs foraging in the understory of dry to humid forest and scrubby second growth. Vocalization is a high pitched “zeut, zeut, zeee.” The only totally black headed sparrow in its range. Found only in Colombia and Venezuela.