Black-hooded Laughingthrush

A small charcoal-colored songbird endemic to New Zealand. Confined to central North Island and a few offshore predator-free islands. Favors mature native and exotic forest stands. Male is almost all black with a white spot above the bill. Female and juvenile grayer, with lighter patches on breast and throat. Can be incredibly confiding and curious about humans. It is possible to bring individuals out into the open by disturbing leaf litter and then sitting quietly. Actively flushes out prey with foot trembling and by flicking its wings and tail. Male song is a loud and simple phrase of notes including “pwee-pwee-pwee.”

Unique and spectacular hummingbird of the upper humid montane forest in Bolivia. Plumage mostly black, with striking white feathers on breast and a shining blue rump. Occurs to, and sometimes just above, treeline on the east side of the Andes from western Santa Cruz department to La Paz. The only black hummingbird in its range. This species is generally patchily distributed, but can be locally common, especially where flowers are abundant.

A huge, spectacular hummingbird. Males are bright shimmering emerald with blue wings. Females are greenish above with cinnamon underparts. The bill is medium-length and slightly upturned. Larger than almost all other hummingbirds, with slower wingbeats compared with the typical hummingbird blur. Occurs in montane forest and edges in the Andes from northern Colombia to Bolivia, typically from around 2,800 m to around treeline. Visits feeders.