Worstbird

A tiny stub-tailed green parrot with a golden-bronze back, a narrow red throat, a bright red rump, and a small red shoulder patch. Juveniles are duller and more poorly marked. Singles or small groups occur within treetops of forest and nearby secondary growth areas in the lowlands. No other tiny green, short-tailed parrot occurs within its limited range in the Sula and Banggai islands. Very high-pitched calls include “zeet-weet-wit,” rising in pitch at the end. Sometimes birds only utter the first two notes or single “zeet” notes.

Small rainforest flycatcher that ranges from central Panama through western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador. Male is mostly gray, but female is clad mainly in shades of olive and yellow. Male’s dark wings with contrasting white wingbars help to identify him. Female is very similar to Forest Elaenia, but tends to have darker wings, brighter back, and cleaner breast; all of these are hard to see in the field and some birds cannot be identified with certainty. Note that Choco Elaenia is found only west of the Andes and does not overlap with Amazonian Elaenia or Gray-headed Elaenia. Typical song is a descending, accelerating trill. Pairs typically stay high in the forest, and often follow mixed species flocks.

Shy dove found only in Andean cloud forest in central Colombia. The dull reddish-purple color on neck and breast, gray crown, and pale eye separate it from the much more common and widespread White-tipped Dove. Usually stays well hidden, but sometimes comes out into the open in clearings and along quiet roads, especially early in the morning. Gives low, well-spaced coos.

Medium-sized, long-tailed spinetail found in the understory of humid forests often accompanying mixed-species flocks. Note the yellowish eyebrow, contrasting with dark cheeks, a pale throat, and a richly rufous crown, wings, and tail. It is brownish on the back and buffy gray below. The song is very distinctive nasal series of “prrr” rattles followed by a squeaky “Dje,” such as “prrrDje-prrrDje.”

Large thrush, greenish brown with black scallop marks above, pale with black scaly marks below. Smaller Russet-tailed Thrush has larger-appearing bill, is less strongly marked above. Bassian lacks white in tail corners, usually visible in flying or preening Russet-tailed. The smaller wingbar has less prominent pale tips in adult Bassian. Introduced Song Thrush has spots rather than scaly marks below. Inhabits wet forests, where it forages in leaf litter. Song recalls that of Common Blackbird, very different from Russet-tailed song.