Palau Nightjar

A tiny, warbler-shaped songbird confined to the eastern Lesser Sundas. Upperparts gray-brown; underparts clean, unmarked white. Note subtle white mark between bill and eye, and beady-eyed appearance. Juveniles washed yellow below. Inhabits forest, edge, mangroves, and scrub from coast to mountains. Sits high in the understory, singly or in pairs. Unmistakable, as the only tiny gray-and-white warbler-like bird in range. Warbling song comprises a series of high-pitched, descending whistled phrases such as “pee-pee-ooo-ooo-pee-ooo-ooo”. Calls often and for prolonged periods.

Large dark pigeon. Body and wings mostly bluish-gray with maroon-colored neck and shoulders. Note red bill with pale yellowish tip. Immature paler grayish without maroon tones. Common from Mexico to Costa Rica, mainly in lowlands and foothills. Barely enters the U.S. in Rio Grande Valley of south Texas. Typically seen in pairs or small flocks, often perched conspicuously in a variety of habitats, including open forests, patchy farmland, and mangroves. Tends to be fairly shy. Separated from other pigeons in Middle America by large size, bill pattern, and dark tail and undertail coverts. Listen for low cooing song: “whoo, whoop-a-whoo.”

Moderately distinctive as far as tapaculos go, with its pale gray color, pale tawny undertail coverts, and notably long tail. Found in the Andes from Colombia to Peru, where it is difficult to see in the dense understory. Especially fond of areas with bamboo. Listen for the song: a long, often stuttered trill, usually with some harsh introductory notes.