Ivory-backed Woodswallow

Tiny, drab bird with a sharp bill, a dull olive-green back, and buffy yellow underparts and forehead. Found in lowland rainforest, secondary forest, and sometimes plantations, usually in the canopy. Uncommon and inconspicuous, in pairs or small flocks. Similar to Yellow Penduline-Tit, but much duller and found in different habitat. Could be confused with Tit-Hylia, but duller overall, without streaking on the head and breast. Could also be confused with some dull sunbirds, but has a shorter, deeper-based, and sharper bill. The vocalizations are very high-pitched “sit” notes that are easily missed.

A long and slender cormorant-like waterbird that often swims with its body submerged and only the “S”-shaped neck protruding from the water. Adults are mostly black with white flecks and streaks. Males have a rusty neck and a white stripe running from the eye down the side of the head, which is duller when not breeding. Females and juveniles are muted and brown. African Darter is widespread in freshwater wetlands, preferring placid to fast flowing waters. Cormorants have proportionately larger heads, bulkier necks, and hooked rather than bayonet-shaped bills.

Skulky warbler found in dry and semi-humid scrub, overgrown clearings, and tangles at forest edge. Male is yellow with a conspicuous black mask. Female is plain and unremarkable. Similar to Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, but male has a gray crown and thinner mask, and female usually shows slightly darker upperparts. Female also similar to female Yellow Warbler, but has a thicker bill and darker back. Typical song west of the Andes is a melodious series of notes that speeds up near the end. In the Marañón Valley, it gives a much more complex rising and falling song. Also gives soft churring and buzzing calls. Ranges in western Ecuador and western Peru, with a few records from extreme southwestern Colombia. Formerly considered a subspecies group of Masked Yellowthroat.