Yellow-throated Chlorospingus

More of a soft blush than a burning flame, the red patch on the male’s face is nonetheless unique. The female lacks the red patch, but is still distinctive in her size, small sharp bill, and pale wingbars. Both sexes are yellow above and pale gray below, with the male being more predominantly yellow than the female. Found in montane broadleaf forest at middle to high elevations, sometimes mixed in with other species; some populations descend to lower foothills and lowlands in the winter. Song is an undulating series of twitters, chips, and trills; also twitters and trills when flocking.

Male handsome and distinctive, with black face and throat offset by white brow, bright orangey breast, blue-gray back. Female drab gray-brown overall except for bright tail. Female told from female Black Redstart by warmer, buffy-brown (not grayish) breast. Found in mixed and deciduous woodland, heathland with trees and hedges; often uses coastal scrub, thornscrub, and other drier habitats during the non-breeding season. Unobtrusive; tends to perch rather upright and has a distinctive habit of shivering its bright orangey tail. Pleasant song can include various whistles and warbles, as well as drier, buzzier phrases. Calls include hard “pik” notes and a rising “weet.”

Large woodpecker found in the subtropical and temperate zones in the Andes from extreme western Venezuela to Peru. Look for the white stripe that runs down the face and neck, a white ‘V’ on the back, and the cinnamon belly with dark barring. The male has a red crest. Found at higher elevations than any similar large woodpeckers – typically above 1,800m and all the way up to over 3,000m. Pairs wander widely throughout the forest, so they are infrequently encountered.