Brown Skua

Small, retiring quail of forest understory. Rarely seen, but can be located by listening for noisy rustling in the leaf litter as birds scratch like chickens. Prefers to run away rather than flush. Loud song often reveals its presence, given mainly early and late in the day: first few notes similar to Little Tinamou song, but then breaks into rollicking choruses that can be almost deafening if close by. Male has rusty face and gray body, female colors reversed, with gray face and rusty body.

Medium-sized brownish bird of the lower subtropical zone in the western Andes of Colombia and Ecuador. Plain dark brown with much less streaking than other treehunters; only shows a slightly paler eyebrow and some streaking on the throat. Typically found at lower elevations than other treehunters in range, but some overlap. Western Woodhaunter is found at similar elevations but has a longer, narrower bill and a paler buffy throat. Singles or pairs follow mixed-species flocks through the understory, where they can be skulky and difficult to see. Listen for the song: a slow series of 5-10 squeaky notes.

A barrel-chested snipe with a dark brown back and frosty-pale face and belly. Breeds in far northern bogs and near streams, where it may even winter if water remains open; the only snipe likely to be seen in this kind of habitat in the colder months. Also winters along rocky streams and artificial canals with flowing water. Much darker and more silvery-gray in coloration than other snipe species, which are a paler brown overall. Flies straight and powerfully; does not zigzag in flight like Common Snipe and Pin-tailed Snipe.