Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Small, finchlike bird of weedy and grassy areas in tropical lowlands. Often in small flocks, which associate readily with seedeaters and grassquits. ​Adult is handsome and striking with rusty upperparts. Black head and underparts are cut by a broad white swath from flanks across the lower breast. Note stout gray bill. Juvenile notably plain, buffy brown overall with stout bluish-gray bill. Note the pointed tail, unlike seedeaters and grassquits. Native to Asia and spreading in New World as an escaped cage bird.

A tiny, dumpy, very short-tailed gray songbird. Paler underparts are divided by a whiter central strip. Males display a diagnostic red patch on the breast that is absent in females. Juveniles resemble female, but are duller, with a pale-based bill. Confined to the north Moluccas. Singles or pairs can be found in canopy of forest and forest edge in the lowlands and foothills. Tiny size and stunted shape aid identification in both sexes, as no other flowerpeckers occur in its range. Gives very high-pitched “tzeee” notes from the canopy, and a wetter “pip” call too.

Large, plain rail with two color morphs, either dark chocolate brown or paler medium brown. Most with a few white feathers on head and back, especially dark morph. More often in pairs than alone, walking in the darkest areas of mangroves. Occurs in coastal salt lagoons, preferably in black mangrove and occasionally in red mangrove. Easy to find by voice, although sounds virtually identical to Mangrove Rail. In its habitat, the only all-brown rail with no barring on underparts. Range restricted and endangered, endemic to a small section of coast in northern Venezuela.