Pin-tailed Parrotfinch

Hardly bigger than a sparrow, this odd little ground bird has a disproportionately loud song. The booming hoots the female gives during the breeding season are often the easiest way to find this species in the open grassy habitats it occupies. Females are more vividly colored than males, with a bright orange breast and nape, yellow belly, white throat, and speckled gray upperparts. Males have a faded version of the same general color scheme, but have less spotting on the breast and a tan throat.

Rusty brown with a silvery gray head and thick black streaks all over the body. Relatively short-tailed for a barwing. Uncommon to rare inhabitant of mid- to high-altitude moist evergreen forests. Social; frequently found in small flocks and as a part of mixed species flocks. Gives a somewhat nasal “kyow-kyow-kyow-kyow.”

A bright flycatcher found in marshes in the Andes from Colombia to Argentina. Yellow below and olive above, sometimes showing a hint of a dark mask and dull yellowish edges on the wing feathers. Distinctive in habitat, although could be confused with a female Masked Yellowthroat, which has a pinkish bill and legs. Forages singly or in pairs; can be difficult to see in dense marsh grasses. Mostly occurs from 1,000 to 3,500 m, but some appear to move into lowlands in the winter in southern part of range. Gives single nasal calls as well as a whirring noise produced by the wings.