For those of you who are birders, and maybe some who are not, one quick glance at this bird should give you a hint that it is shaped much like our robin. It is a Great Thrush, larger, but very closely related to our robin!
This species hoped around on the ground a lot and it was quite common. It is a Rufous-collared Sparrow, very similar in habitat preference and behavior to many of our sparrows.
Although we are used to seeing members of this family gleaning insects in trees, some members of the group prefer ground feeding and this is one of them. This is a Russet-crowned Warbler.
This warbler species is a tree dweller and similar in behavior to our American Redstart. One of the interesting aspects of my trip was the number of North American breeding warblers that we saw. Among the most abundant of these were the Blackburnian and Canada Warblers, with fewer numbers of Black-and-white, Blackpoll, American Redstart, and Tropical Parula. The following is a Spectacled Whitestart.
Owls are always of interest, even with non-birders. We saw only three species, including this Rufescent Screech-Owl that came easily to a recorded call one evening after dinner while staying at Las Gralarias Lodge and Reserve 
One other interesting owl we saw was at San Isidro Cabanas and is referred to mostly as the San Isidro Owl. The species of this owl has yet to be determined, but some relatively recent DNA sampling will hopefully lead to a conclusion in the near future. A Short-eared owl was the only other species observed.This species may be an exception to familiarity leading to partial ID, but I had seen it previously in SW Mexico so determined rather quickly that it was a Masked Tityra.
A Cinnamon Flycatcher - the color certainly aided in the ID of this one.
This is a group with which I was not very familiar, but it belongs to the Tanagers, one of the most abundant groups in Ecuador with over 130 species. It is a Masked Flowerpiercer.
Of course, you all know to which group this pair belongs, but the habitat they are found in is a bit different. These are Torrent Ducks and they are found year-round in very steep gradient rivers and streams, perhaps similar to our Harlequin Ducks. If you click on the image to enlarge it, note the relatively large feet that surely are indicative of the very swift waters they inhabit.
Birders could make a very good guess as to this species - an Ecuadorian Rail. It was recently split off as a separate species from our Virginia rail.
I included this image more for the setting than the species - a Russet-backed Orependula. The Epiphytes that adorn many or most of the trees in the Ecuadorian Andes often provide a truly idyllic setting for viewing birds. Again, click on the image to get a better feel for the vegetative "decorations" on this tree.
And finally, another species that can rather easily be placed in its proper family by its shape and raucous behavior is the Inca Jay. Numbers of them would gather each morning near the vegetation surrounding the San Isidro Lodge buildings to feast on the moths that had been attracted to the lights the previous night.
This concludes the bird images that I will post in this Ecuador series. My concluding episode will focus on the overall view of the scenery of Ecuador - that I hope to experience again in the near future!
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