Kelp Goose

Tiny, plump gray-and-brown bird that looks almost tailless. Males are ashy gray with warm reddish brown on their back half; females are similar, with the warm reddish brown extending farther up the back to the crown. Forages singly or in pairs low in dense vegetation in stunted elfin forest and humid shrubby grassland at high elevations, at and above the treeline; often found in Polylepis groves. A bit less shy than most tapaculos, but still heard far more often than seen. Its song is a single squeaky “tcheur” note, repeated at a steady pace of about 1-2 notes per second in a long series.

Large black-and-white wagtail with an intricately and uniquely striped head pattern. Wings and outer tail feathers flash brightly in flight. Adult male is black-backed, while the female and immature have a duller gray-brown back. Simple song is a compilation of a few high phrases of whistles and twitters. Call is harsh and buzzy. Found only around flowing lowland rivers with braided rocky sections, specifically a unique composite of gravel and sand bars with low vegetation and boulders.

A medium-sized bird with a hooked bill of montane forest. Male is all black and female dull brown. Forages singly or in pairs at all levels in the forest, looking for insects. Male somewhat similar to Drongo Fantail, but Black Pitohui male has more horizontal posture and lacks the flat head. Similar to MacGregor’s Bowerbird female, but female Black Pitohui is smaller, with a hooked bill. Voice, a slow, rising “pooiii!”, a quicker rising “whip-whip-whip…” sometimes speaded up into a trill, and also a forceful, downward “tiiaoo!”.