Desert Cisticola

Distinctive medium-sized rainforest bird, easily recognized by large, mostly bright cinnamon head and orange bill, whitish underparts, and clean black band completely encircling nape and breast. Inhabits lower and middle levels of tall rainforest, sometimes up to the canopy, where it sits motionless before making sudden flights to bark, foliage, or ground for large insects and small vertebrates. Encountered singly or in pairs, but rather seldom seen due to lethargic behavior. Typically silent during the day; song—given well before first light—is a wild-sounding series of quavering notes that is unlike that of any other bird.

Incandescently beautiful male is resplendent in electric blue and snowy white. Female is dull gray-brown with paler underparts. Slight regional variation: “Western” males have a short white eyebrow and “Eastern” females have a faint rusty patch on the forehead. Male may be confused with Himalayan Bluetail, but lacks orange. Female is similar to females of Slaty-blue and Little Pied Flycatchers, but lacks any rufous tones on the tail. Breeds in hill and montane broadleaf and pine forests; descends into lower foothills in winter. Rarely heard song a complex series of whistles and chatters; more commonly heard is the call, a dry trilling chatter, sometimes preceded by a short whistle.

Striking hummingbird with extremely long tail. Male is mostly emerald green with blue-green throat and long forked tail. Female is much different, with shorter tail, spotted throat, buffy belly, and short white mustache stripe. Primarily found on the east slope of the Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia, in foothills and subtropical zones from 1,200–2,500 m. Occurs within cloud forest and at edges; visits feeders. Male is superficially similar to trainbearers but note different habitat.