Madagascar Cisticola

Handsome chunky gray-brown finch with a massive dark bill. Blackish hood, white ear-patches, and golden stripes in the dark wings and tail make this an easily recognizable species. Female has a paler, less well-defined hood than the male, and less yellow in the tail. Juvenile is buffier (including ear-patches) and more streaky overall. Singles, pairs and groups (up to 30) are a common endemic resident on Socotra, where it inhabits woodlands, dry scrubby rocky terrain, slopes, and riverbeds. Forages on the ground, as well as in trees, where they occasionally dangle by their feet, like parrots. Can be quite skittish. Song is a pleasant rolling series of sweet notes with an almost thrush-like quality. Call a quick whip-like "weet".

A plain hummingbird found in dry forest and scrub in southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru. It is dull green with light gray underparts, a white spot behind the eye, and a thick, slightly curved bill. Some birds show very faint spots on the throat. Similar to Spot-throated Hummingbird, but throat markings are much less conspicuous or entirely absent. Ranges are also different; Tumbes Hummingbird is found only on the Pacific side of the Andes and does not reach the Marañon drainage.

Fairly common but easily overlooked in dense to fairly open shrub-steppe of Patagonia, where it feeds in bushes and runs well on the ground. Most often seen when singing from atop a bush or fence post; otherwise rather skulking and easily overlooked. The only streak-backed canastero in its southern range. Identified by whitish eyebrow and streaked back; in flight shows bright buffy wing stripe and whitish tail sides. Also compare with Correndera Pipit.