Sierra Nevada Antpitta

Distinctive, locally common nighthawk of lowland rivers. Appears small and dark; in dim light, best distinguished from other nighthawks by swallowlike profile and longish tail. Also note the white band across tail and lack of white in wings. Usually found near water in forest and savanna regions, occasionally in large groups; does not tend to fly high. Dark plumage recalls Blackish Nightjar, but shape and behavior are very different.

Large black crow relative with a slender, curved red bill. Found in pairs or groups around cliffs and in adjacent grassy pastures, grasslands, and fields. Flight acrobatic, wheeling and swooping in updrafts. Distinctive if seen well, with bright red bill and legs. Juvenile has a shorter, yellowish bill—compare with Yellow-billed Chough. Often shares its range with other dark corvids, such as crows and jackdaws; in flight, present species’ broad, deeply fingered wings. Gives a variety of calls, including a loud “chaw!”, as well as higher-pitched gull-like mewing calls.

Small antshrike found in the lower and middle levels of dry forests and at the edge of humid forests. Males are gray overall with a black crown, and white-spotted black wings and tail. Females have a rusty crown, back, and tail, are buff below with white spots on the wings. The song is a loud and long series of around 20 descending notes that accelerate in pace. Doesn’t overlap in range with similar Sooretama Slaty-Antshrike and is told from Variable Antshrike by paler gray plumage in males and richer rufous color in females.