Red-collared Mountain-Babbler

Handsome, rather large jay. Common in tropical forest and woodland of northwest Mexico where it is endemic. Usually in small groups, which can be noisy and conspicuous or very quiet and easily overlooked. Deep purplish-blue back, wings, and tail do not contrast strongly with black head and body (can look blackish overall at a distance). Note piercing pale eyes and bright yellow legs and feet. Like other related jays, immature has yellow bill and dull eyes. Compare with San Blas Jay (both occur around town of San Blas, Nayarit, where, ironically, Purplish-backed is generally the only species found in town).

A small bird of mid-montane grasslands in western New Guinea. Black face and chest, brown upperparts, yellow rump and tail, yellow sides and white belly bordered with a black line, and a thick, silver-blue bill. Usually seen in small flocks. May have a slight altitudinal overlap with Snow Mountain, but Black-breasted Munia is normally lower and has a black chest. Call, a squealing “week!” repeated constantly.

Scarce bird of wet high-elevation forest in the eastern Andes of northern and central Peru. Not often seen, since its remaining habitat is difficult to access. Plumage is striking, with reddish-orange eyebrow and underparts as well as a black mask. Similar to Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch of the western Andes, but eyebrows are longer and do not connect over the bill. It tends to stay very low, which can make it quite hard to see well, and it often hops on the ground or along fallen logs. Sometimes joins mixed-species flocks. Typical song is a lengthy series of seemingly random squeaks and chips.