Worstbird

A small, compact, finch-like sociable lark that can be both resident and nomadic, although movements are poorly understood. The sexes differ in plumage: the distinctive male has a tawny crown and nape, bold pale ear-patches, and otherwise dark face and throat that stretch as a line down the belly to the vent; the dull streaky female has a buffy eyebrow and a dark breast and belly patch. Immature is similar to the female. Small-to-medium-size flocks prefer semi-arid grassland and bare fields. Compare to Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark, in which both sexes are darker and more contrasting than Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark.

Widespread but generally rare across much of northern South America. A medium-sized, plain brown woodcreeper with a bluish eye and limited white throat (sometimes nearly lacking). Completely unstreaked, so unlikely to be confused with anything but Plain-brown Woodcreeper, which has a stronger face pattern (especially a dark mustache) and lacks the bluish eye of White-chinned. Almost always seen near swarms of army ants, singly or in pairs. Occurs in lowland forest.

Strikingly beautiful white manakin with a red crown and black tail and flight feathers. Females are olive-green, paler below; note the short crest above the bill. Has a tiny geographic range on the borders of the Araripe Plateau, where it is found in woodland near water. Has a pleasant call “guru-uí”, similar to Helmeted Manakin calls.

A fairly large honeyeater of mid-montane forest in eastern New Guinea. Body gray with white scaling on the back, olive wing feathers and buffy under the base of the tail. Pale green eye-ring and bare facial skin behind the eye with yellow lines above and behind. Similar to Belford’s Melidectes which it hybridizes with, but Yellow-browned has a pale bill and red wattles on the throat. Calls, loud parrotlike screeches similar to those of Belford’s Melidectes.

A nondescript antbird; male entirely black and female entirely dark brown. Only notable feature is the pale blue skin around the eye on both sexes. Listen for loud song, a series of even whistled notes. Rather large and chunky. Look for the tail being raised and lowered slowly. Typically found in pairs in the dark forest understory, sometimes following a mixed flock or ant swarm.