Yungas Tyrannulet

A strikingly four-colored tiny finch. Head pitch black, back rich brown, breast and belly pure white, bill thick and silver. In the eastern highlands of Papua New Guinea, belly is grayish-orange. Found in any open grassland, scrub, or plain. Other munias occur in the same areas, but Hooded’s bold color patterns make for simple identification. Most common call is a chorus of soft “peep” and “see” notes.

Colorful, boldly marked bunting. Note the white eyebrow, broad black face mask, dark back with two white wingbars, and yellow underparts. Males and females are similar, though females are duller, especially on the face. The birds in the southeastern part of the range have a white stripe through the center of the crown, while elsewhere the crown is completely black. Generally uncommon and local in lush woodland, savanna, and forest edge. The loud song consists of up-and-down whistles and trills. Similar to other yellow-breasted buntings, but easily separated by the solidly black ear patch.

Large, lanky blackbird with rounded crown and long tail. Males have ridiculously long tails, almost as long as their body, often held in a V-shape like the keel of boat. Males are glossy black. Females are brown, with subtle face pattern. Eye color ranges from brown along western Gulf Coast to yellow on Atlantic Coast. Strictly coastal, except in Florida where they occur inland (often around human development). Overlaps with similar Great-tailed Grackle on Texas coast, but occurs more strictly in coastal saltmarshes and has dark eye (not pale).