Ultramarine Lorikeet

A sturdy songbird with fairly long tail and substantial bill. Glossy black above, bright white below. Female may show buffy patch on upper breast. Similar to Paperbark Flycatcher; best identified by range. Inhabits open woodland and wetland areas, usually forages near the ground. Compare Willie Wagtail. Calls loudly with a clear whistled "tui-tui-tui” and an incomparable buzzing scissors-grinder sound.

Locally fairly common summer breeder in temperate rainforests of southern Chile and adjacent Argentina; migrates north in March–April to winter in Andes from Bolivia to Venezuela, returning in September–October. Usually seen in flight over forest and edge, circling high or kiting motionless in the wind; rarely seen perched. Note dark head and clean white throat, diagnostic dark “armpits,” and rather flat-winged gliding with wingtips curled up slightly. Compare with immatures of the larger Variable and Rufous-tailed Hawks.

Chunky dark brown raptor with a white belly marked by thin bars. Immatures are brown when perched, and show rufous patches in the underwing in flight. Found in savanna habitats. Soars frequently and sometimes hovers. Very similar to Short-toed Snake-Eagle, but has darker upperparts and narrower dark bars on the belly; the front of the underwings looks white and unbarred in flight. Immature similar to immature Black-breasted and Short-toed Snake-Eagles, but identified by the rufous patches on the underwings.