Gray-headed Antbird

A rather plain medium-sized dove, mostly restricted to western Ecuador but also occurs in western Colombia and extreme northwestern Peru. Within range, the main confusion species is White-tipped Dove. Pallid Dove has notably darker and warmer brown upperparts that contrast more with the whitish underparts. Like other members of the genus, Pallid is typically found on the ground (or flushing up into the understory). It is most often seen walking on roads or trails, or flying across quickly. There are a few places where it visits feeders. Within its limited range, it is fairly common, but be careful to separate from the equally (or more) common White-tipped Dove. Listen for its low-pitched, single “hoo” call.

A large and long-billed woodpecker with a pale-barred gray-olive belly and a bold facial pattern: the crown is black in the female and black (forecrown) and red (hindcrown) in the male. It forages solitarily or in pairs, preferring dead and decaying trunks where it can excavate for beetle larvae and other insects within savanna and riverine forest. It calls a sharp “kwip-kwip-kwip” and gives a characteristic drum that lasts about 5 seconds, beginning fast and then slowing. The similar Golden-crowned Woodpecker differs by occupying rainforest, having spotted (not barred) underparts, and having a yellow hindcrown patch in the male.

A nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of pytilias. As with other whydahs, breeding males are spectacular and bizarre, whereas non-breeding males and females are drab and inconspicuous. Breeding males are mostly black, with a rufous collar and a long tail with an odd widened area at its base. Non-breeding males and females have a brownish back, pale underparts, and a reddish bill. Generally scarce and local in broadleaf woodland and lush savanna. Breeding male similar to other paradise-whydahs, but has a longer tail than Sahel Paradise-Whydah, a shorter and thicker-based tail than Togo Paradise-Whydah, and a slightly shorter tail and more rufous collar than Eastern Paradise-Whydah. Non-breeding male and female can be cautiously identified by their combination of a reddish bill, pinkish legs, and simple facial pattern. Not very vocal, but does imitate pytilia vocalizations.