Jet Manakin

Large dark bird of undisturbed rainforest. Its red, crested bill is easily recognizable. It has a dark body that appears iridescent navy blue in good light, with light red legs and a buffy tail tip. Found on the ground or in trees, sometimes quite high, in mature rainforest, usually singly or in pairs. Can be quite secretive, especially in areas with a lot of human activity. Gives a sharp, metallic “pick” call that is easy to overlook, as well as low booming calls around dawn and dusk.

Tiny and rather unobtrusive bird with brownish upperparts and luminous lemon-yellow underparts. Superficially similar to female and juvenile Olive-backed Sunbirds, but note gerygone’s short, uncurved bill. Forages in parks, forests, and plantations, where it often joins mixed flocks moving through the middle and upper layers. Song is variable throughout its range but invariably includes buzzy notes with obvious rises and falls in pitch.

An impressive long-tailed bird of wooded habitats including shade coffee plantations. Usually found in dense vegetation though sometimes found sunning in the open at first light with its tail spread. Note this species long straight narrow bill, brilliant red eyering, gray chest, and chestnut belly. The Mangrove Cuckoo is passingly similar but has a much shorter bill, a black mask, and lacks the red eyering visible on Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo. Secretive, but not shy, this species is often first detected by its voice. Song is a long, rapid, ratcheting “keh-keh-keh…” series that often accelerates and/or decelerates throughout. Other calls include a harsh, “craaa.”