Giant Antpitta

A small, compact finch-like sociable lark that is both resident and nomadic, although movements are poorly understood. The sexes differ in plumage: the male has a gray-brown back and wings with a scalloped pattern, and a black head with bold white ear patches that reach the back of the neck; the streaky female is variable depending on geographic range, but always has a dark belly patch and tends to be paler than other female sparrow-larks. Flocks of 20 to 100 birds (often mixed with other sparrow-larks or with Stark’s Lark) can appear in grassy patches in semi-arid shrublands and fallow fields. They shuffle along in bare patches foraging for seeds and insects.

Attractive small “finch” that is actually a tanager of the high Andes; found in villages, agricultural terraces, scrubby slopes, and bogs. Associates readily with other small seed-eating birds and in some places is tame and acclimated, begging for food at picnic sites. Handsome male is striking and distinctive with a golden back and plain dark wings (compare with smaller siskins). Female and immature are duller, but dark slaty hood and golden tones to back are distinctive. Compare with Gray-hooded Sierra-Finch to south and Peruvian Sierra-Finch to north.

Very small, striped buffy heron of wetlands and lake edges with dense reeds and rushes. Boldly striped back pattern is distinctive. In flight shows contrasting broad rusty trailing edge to wings. Usually seen as single birds hidden in reeds or making short flights low over reeds or across patches of open water. Clambers easily and stealthily; hunts from perches over water, where sits patiently before stabbing at fish. Mostly silent.