Blue-faced Rail

Fairly common but easily overlooked in lowlands and foothills of central Chile. Found in matorral, scrub and adjacent semiopen areas with bushes. Presence can be revealed by bulky stick nests placed in bushes. Fairly skulking, keeping mainly to bushes and other cover, but also runs well on the ground, tail held cocked; often in pairs. Plumage relatively distinctive with whitish eyebrow, buffy to cinnamon flanks, and dark tail. Northern desert populations are paler and grayer overall while southern populations in humid areas are darker overall.

Large hummingbird found only at very high elevations in the Andes of central Peru. Male is dusky green with a sparkling green throat, a blue breast and belly, and gray sides. Female lacks the colorful underparts, and instead has a speckled throat and white tips to the tail. She is similar to females of both Andean and Green-headed Hillstars, but lacks white at the base of the tail feathers. The species inhabits open, scrubby habitat, usually above treeline, and feeds on a wide variety of flowers as well as insects.

A pallid, medium-small, compact lark with a pale stout bill that appears swollen and a streaky crest that is often raised. The upperparts are sandy brown with indistinct dark streaks, the face is plain with a distinct eyebrow, and the breast shows very diffuse streaking on whitish underparts. Highly nomadic; small to very large flocks can appear after rains, sometimes associating with sparrow-larks or buntings, preferring arid grasslands on plains and gravel rather than sandy substrates. The species performs an aerial display with trills, whistles, and chirps. Often it rests in shade during the heat of the day with the crest raised, mouth open, eyes half shut, and wings drooped to aid in cooling.