Northern Slaty Brushfinch

A very small, thick-set, stub-tailed parrot. Entirely green with a small red throat patch. Female has a light blue facial crescent. In flight, bright blue underwing is diagnostic. Resident in lowland forest, most often seen in flight. Similar to Finsch’s Pygmy Parrot but much brighter, with vibrant green coloration and, in flight, a stronger blue underwing. Commonly gives a very high-pitched repeated “tse-tse-tse” on the wing.

A small, chunky, distinctive weaver of northeastern Africa. Mostly sandy brown with a gray cap and a pale eye-ring. There is some geographical variation in back color, which can be brown or gray. The tail has a pale gray tip and a partial black bar across the middle, both of which are obvious in flight. Found in dry savanna and cultivated areas, usually in flocks. Nests in colonies. Gives a variety of inconspicuous calls, but one of the most frequent is a penetrating “veet.” 

Well-named seedeater found in arid scrub and adjacent farmland in western Peru and southwestern Ecuador. Its best field marks are the distinct wingbars and bill color (pinkish on breeding males, nearly black on other individuals). Bill is smaller and less bulbous than that of Parrot-billed Seedeater. Sometimes found alone, but loose flocks may converge on areas with abundant food, such as fields of seeding grass. Males often sing a short series of buzzy notes.