Luapula Cisticola

Warm-colored thrush, with bright reddish-brown tones above, buffy breast, and white belly. Spots are indistinct and washed out, concentrating on upper breast. Beautiful song is cascading spiral of flute-like notes. Found in a variety of wooded habitats, often favoring wetter areas. Winters in South and Central America; very rare in the U.S. after October, unlike Hermit Thrush.

Glossy small black cuckoo with a forked tail. Juvenile has a galaxy-like smattering of white spots all over the body. Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo has a less prominently-forked tail; note less difference in length of outermost tail feathers. Adults may be confused with drongos, but are lighter-billed and smaller, with distinctly white-barred undertail. Widespread, found in forests and scrubby plains from lowlands up into foothills and mountainous areas, but much more often heard than seen, typically sitting still in the middle and upper levels of forest; song is an extremely loud ascending series of whistles. Lays its eggs in the nests of babblers, bulbuls, and shrikes.

Perky little bird of rocky slopes and valleys in Andes, often in areas with low bushes and scrubby trees. Nests in holes in banks. Found singly or in pairs and at times curious and confiding. Runs well on ground with long rusty tail strongly cocked up. Identified by rather long, overall straight bill, whitish bib, and rusty streaking on belly. Has a longer bill than the superficially similar, but smaller canasteros.