Great-billed Kingfisher

Colorful and rather chunky tanager with a stout bill. It is endemic to Colombia, where it inhabits cloud forest in the western Andes as well as the northern end of the central Andes. Plumage is black with an orange breast, yellow belly, and blue shoulders. Similar to Golden-chested Tanager, but yellow on underparts is much more extensive. Usually seen in middle to upper levels of the forest, sometimes with mixed species flocks. Song, often given from an exposed perch, is a rasping “pit-zhee” that may be given several times in quick succession.

Body is mostly iridescent green below and dark blue above and on the wings, with diagnostic bright yellow legs and a bright silver head with pinkish yellow-tipped bill. Most often seen in flight in small flocks over forest canopy at dusk and dawn, where flocking behavior and combination of silver head and bright yellow legs are diagnostic. Seems to prefer primary and well developed secondary forest between sea level and 1300 meters of elevation, though more frequently seen in forest above 400 meters. Metallic Pigeon is superficially similar but has a dark cap and pink legs, whereas Yellow-legged Pigeon shows an entirely silver head and distinctly yellow legs. Metallic Pigeon also does not perform flock flights at dawn and dusk. Although mostly quiet, Yellow-legged sometimes utters a typical pigeon-like low-pitched “hooOO hooOO.”

Medium-sized, dark brown shearwater with silvery flashes on underwings. Narrow wings with quick, deep wingbeats. Widespread and common, especially in the Pacific; can sometimes be seen close to shore. Can be in massive flocks. Extremely similar to Short-tailed Shearwater, but Sooty is heavier and has straighter wings; also look for slightly longer bill and less rounded head. Brown plumage is reminiscent of Flesh-footed Shearwater, but Sooty is narrower-winged and has a smaller, all-dark bill.