Dušan Brinkhuizen: Biologist, birder and photographer resident in Ecuador. Dušan graduated at the University of Groningen (MSc.), The Netherlands, where he did bird research on extra-pair paternity, breeding systems, evolution of song, speciation and community ecology. During his studies he got hooked on Neotropical biodiversity and wilderness. Now he lives in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, and works for Rockjumper Birding Tours. Activities apart from leading birdwatching tours include scientific research, bird sound recording and bird photography.

Why the name Sapayoa? Primarily because it's just a cool name! It's a rare bird species found in remote lowland forests of the Chocó region, one of my areas of expertise and favourite places to bird. The Broad-billed Sapayoa, or simply Sapayoa, is taxonomically an enigma, hence its scientific name Sapayoa aenigma. First it was thought to be a manakin and later it was thought to be related to the Tyrant flycatchers. Recent molecular data, however, suggest a close relationship to the Old World Broadbills. Currently, most authorities place the species within its own monotypic family. Dull birds can be special too! For more on Neotropical bird taxonomy see the website of the South American Classification Committee (SACC).