Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant

A large gray-brown oriole with a straight, heavy bill. Main field mark is an ill-defined dark mask on the feathered face. Underparts paler than upperside. Juveniles display rufous-edged wings. Singles or pairs can be found in forest, forest edge, mangroves, and woodlands in lowlands and foothills. Similar to Buru Friarbird, but dark facial area is feathered, not bare; bill shape is thick and straight; and tail is shorter. Variable song consists of around three fluty notes, often rising and loudest on final note: “ku-wuWOOO.”

A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of lowland forest thickets, often near streams. All over sooty-gray plumage, with a short white eye-brow, white throat and a black chest with white dots. Likes to stay in cover, where it often twitches and fans its tail. Similar to Black and White-bellied Thicket-Fantails but Sooty has a black belly, and lacks the white wing bars and white tips to the tail. More often heard than seen. Most commonly given call is three explosive, downslurred notes “tyu-tyu-tyu!”.

Flocks of these large sea ducks enliven northern coastlines. Males are white and black with a soft suffusion of green on the nape. Immature males are variable and messy-looking with patches of black and white. Females vary from rich rufous-brown to cold grayish, always with extensive black barring covering body and wings. Slight variation in bill shape and color across subspecies, especially obvious on males; Pacific birds have brightest orange bills, most others have greenish bills. Dives to feed on mollusks and other crustaceans. In late summer, look for flocks of females with dozens of ducklings; broods often join together. Compare females with other eider species, and note details of bill and head shape.