Abbott's Starling

A fairly small, dark nightjar found in the lowlands and foothills of northern South America. Intricately patterned with dark browns and grays; lacks any obvious features like a collar (although it sometimes shows a small white patch on the side of the neck). Males have small white corners on the tail. Almost always found at a landslide or rocky slope at the forest edge or in clearings, singly or in pairs. Most often detected at dawn and dusk, when it gives a burry “peer!” song and “pip” calls.

A tiny antwren with a very short tail. Looks like a ping-pong ball bouncing around the middle levels and canopy in lowland forest and edge. Occurs from Panama to Peru and Brazil. Male has a pale yellowish belly, bold black-and-white striping on the head and back, and thick white wingbars. Female is similar, but has a buffier head and upper breast. Best distinguished from Pygmy Antwren by voice. Listen for the long series of piping whistles that accelerates slightly at the end. The series is longer and doesn’t accelerate as rapidly as Pygmy. Also note thicker black mustache stripe and eyeline on Moustached Antwren.

A pretty and distinctive waxbill that is mostly gray with red wings, tail, and bill. Females are slightly duller and more brownish than males. Found locally in savanna, woodland, and cultivated areas, often in flocks. Range overlaps with Green-winged and Orange-winged Pytilias, but Red-billed is easily separated by the red wing. Not very vocal, but the most common call is a low “chuk.”