Golden-crowned Warbler
Basileuterus culicivorus
Small, rather active warbler of tropical evergreen and semi-deciduous forest in foothills and lowlands. Often in pairs at low to middle levels in shady forests with fairly open understory. Regularly seen with mixed-species feeding flocks. Like other tropical warblers, sexes look alike: overall grayish above and yellowish below with weak blackish head stripes that border a dull and easily overlooked golden or dull orangish central crown stripe.
Identification
The golden-crowned warbler is 12.7 cm (5.0 in) long and weighs 10 g (0.35 oz). It has grey-green upperparts and bright yellow underparts. The head is grey with a black-bordered yellow crown stripe, a yellow or white supercilium and a black eyestripe. Sexes are similar, but the immature golden-crowned warbler is duller, browner and lacks the head pattern other than the eyestripe.
Taxonomy
Golden-crowned warbler has 13 geographical races, which fall into three groups. The Central American culicivorus group (known as the stripe-crowned warbler) is essentially as described above, the southwestern cabanisi group (known as Cabanis's warbler) has grey upperparts and a white supercilium, and the aureocapillus group (known as the golden-crowned warbler) of the southeast, which has a white supercilium and orange-rufous crown stripe. The three groups are sometimes considered to be different species.
- Scientific name
- Basileuterus culicivorus
- Authority
- (Deppe, 1830)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Parulidae
- Genus
- Basileuterus
Range and habitat
It breeds from Mexico and south through Central America to northeastern Argentina and Uruguay, and on Trinidad. It is mainly a species of lowland forests.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
These birds feed on insects and spiders. The song is a high thin pit-seet-seet-seet-seet, and the call is a sharp tsip. It lays two to four rufous-spotted white eggs in a domed nest in a bank, often by a forest path, or under leaves on the forest floor. Parent birds will feign injury to distract potential nest predators.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Yellow-hooded Blackbird
Chrysomus icterocephalus
Male is unmistakable within its range: mostly jet black with bright yellow head. Female is mostly dark olive with brightest yellow concentrated on the upper breast. Stout pointed bill typical of a blackbird. Patchily distributed in northern South America, where is generally uncommon in marshy habitats, especially bordering lakes or rivers. Found in pairs or small flocks.
Gray-breasted Seedsnipe
Thinocorus orbignyianus
Stocky, rather small, quail-like bird of the Andes. Favors open rocky slopes, stony plains, and adjacent bogs. Found in pairs or small groups. Male has hooting song given from low mounds or fence posts and during display flight. Flight is strong and fast; flushes with loud bleating chatters. Similar Least Seedsnipe is smaller, favors sandier and grassier habitats, and often occurs in lowlands. Note plain gray breast of male Gray-breasted unlike the black Y pattern present on Least Seedsnipe.
Greater Vasa Parrot
Coracopsis vasa
Large black parrot that is found in and around all types of forest. Often seen in flight, sometimes in small, loose flocks. Incredibly loud calls consist of rough squawks and low whistles. Can be very hard to separate from Lesser Vasa Parrot, but larger and bigger-billed, with a straight edge to the skin at the back of the bill. Vocalizations are lower-pitched and rougher than those of Lesser Vasa Parrot. Can easily be mistaken for a raptor in flight, but has all-black plumage unlike any raptor in range.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.