Bar-winged Weaver

Small stunningly beautiful nuthatch of tropical and subtropical evergreen forest, typically in hilly areas and valleys. Back and wings are bright blue, and underparts are gray. Purplish face is marked by an elegant inky black eyebrow and forehead; bright yellow bill and eye ring. Roves around in small groups or pairs, sometimes joining mixed flocks, usually moving in the canopy or middle levels. Call is a dry, brisk “chit”.

Small, fast-flying parakeet of humid evergreen forest in foothills and highlands, especially in areas with seeding bamboo. Usually seen in pairs or small groups flying high overhead; rarely seen perched. Note pointed tail, fast and slightly bounding flight, and habitat (no other small parakeets occur in highlands of Mexico and northern Central America). Blackish barring on upperparts only apparent with a good view.

A remarkable new species of tanager described to science in 2021. It breeds in and around the Machariapo Valley in western Bolivia from roughly November to March, then disperses northward along the east slope of Andes into southern Peru. Both sexes have yellow-olive plumage and pinkish-orange bill. Male is very striking with a black stripe above the eye and a bushy, golden crest that can be raised or lowered. Female lacks the crest and eye stripe and might be confused with female Summer Tanager, but bill is brighter and more orangey. Inhabits forest that has a large amount of bamboo in the understory. Song, given from an elevated perch, is a jaunty up-and-down series that could be roughly transcribed as “pretty bird, pretty bird…” or “so pretty, so pretty…” It only sings on its breeding grounds, and is otherwise very shy, secretive and hard to see.