Black Heron

Handsome swallow restricted to relatively dry regions of western Ecuador and western Peru. Plumage is blue and white with chestnut collar, breast band, sides, rump, and forehead. Similar to Cliff Swallow, which is a rare migrant within the range of Chestnut-collared, but note the chestnut breast band and lack of white on the forehead. Most often encountered around cities and towns, where it nests colonially in the eaves of buildings.

Medium-sized woodcreeper found in Andean foothills and subtropical zone from Venezuela to Bolivia. Brownish-olive overall with warmer rufous wings and tail. Note heavy buff spotting on head and underparts, and noticeable buffy eyering and eyebrow. Fairly straight bill. Most similar to Spotted Woodcreeper, which is only found on west slope of Andes. Note more extensive crown spotting on Olive-backed. Otherwise distinctive in range. Like other woodcreepers, usually seen singly or in pairs, often accompanying a mixed-species flock. Hitches up tree trunks and large limbs. Typically found within forest or adjacent edges or second growth.

A large ground-dwelling cuckoo. Patchily distributed from Honduras to Brazil; always rare and difficult to find. Unmistakable if seen well. Look for a robust bird with a long tail, shabby crest, and stout pale yellowish bill. Overall brownish with a black breast band and green and purple metallic sheen on the wings and tail. Singles or pairs are most likely to be found following an army ant swarms on the forest floor. Occurs in mature lowland forest, occasionally into the foothills up to around 1,600 m.