Canary Islands Chiffchaff

Chunky black and white bird with a stout bill. Ranges in lowland and foothill rainforest west of the Andes in Ecuador and far southwestern Colombia. Note orange forehead and large white spots on the lower back. Male has white underparts with streaked flanks; female has black throat and breast, and white scaling on the back. Male can be distinguished from Five-colored Barbet by white underparts, crown, and nape. Typically stays high in the canopy, where it joins mixed-species flocks of tanagers and other small birds.

A gregarious, noisy inhabitant of many habitats, except dense woodlands; often near human habitation. Adults are clothed in glossy black, have a white eye, very long keel-shaped tail; youngsters are dull brownish in plumage, darker eyed and have a shorter tail. Only the Smooth-billed Ani is similar in color, size, and proportions, but its beak is much heftier than that of the Greater Antillean Grackle. Cuban Blackbird shares color and size, but has a shorter tail without a keel, and a dark eye. Vocalizations are varied but most have a “squeaking rusty hinge” quality; also gives a harsh “chack.”

Small stout woodpecker with an oversized crested head and black-and-white scaling on the back. Males have a brilliant red front to the crest that females lack. Agile and active, frequently foraging in the upper canopy or on exposed snags. Crawls along trunks, sometimes descending headfirst like a nuthatch. Found in lowland and hill forests. Gives high-pitched squeaks, descending “peer” notes, and rattles.