Neumann's Starling

This unmistakable warbler is found in canyons and mountainous areas with oaks and pines. Striking plumage: black with large white wing patch and red belly. Tail is often fanned and flashed while foraging, revealing bold white outer tail feathers. Very active, usually flitting around in the lower to mid-levels of trees. Listen for a musical warble with repeated “chewee” notes. Call is similar to Pine Siskin but less wiry. Primarily a Mexican species, occurring as far south as northern Nicaragua. Breeding range barely extends into the southwest U.S.

A relatively small, entirely dark petrel, appearing chocolate-brown or black, with a distinctive short-necked and cigar-shaped silhouette due to its tapering tail. Lacks the white underside of the otherwise similar Beck’s Petrel, and is significantly smaller than and lacks the white belly of Tahiti Petrel. Similar to Bulwer’s Petrel, but lacks the pale bars found in the upperwing of that species, appears shorter-necked, and does not hold its head high in flight. Overall flight style of Fiji Petrel is more acrobatic than that of Bulwer’s Petrel.

Small becard occurring from southwest Colombia to northwest Peru, mainly on the west slope of the Andes and in the Marañon drainage, but (perhaps seasonally?) on the east slope of the Andes as well. Mostly found in foothills, in middle to upper levels of humid montane forest, dry forest, and more open second-growth. Male is mostly gray with bold white edges on the wing feathers and a black cap with pale spectacles. Compare with White-winged Becard, which has a black back and dark lores. Female is very different; look for her brown cap bordered with black, white spectacles, pale yellowish belly, and tawny edges on wing feathers. Extremely similar to Black-and-white Becard, with potential range overlap on the east slope of the Andes in Ecuador and Peru. Male Cryptic shows a narrower upper wingbar, paler lores, a grayer upperside of the tail, and a more slender bill than Black-and-white. Female Cryptic has a duller brownish crown with a narrower black border. These features may all be difficult or impossible to assess in the field; some birds are best left unidentified. Also note voice: song a fast series of two sweet downslurred whistles followed by a stuttered upslurred whistle, often repeated two or three times. Black-and-white’s song is slower, with longer notes.