Green Shrike-Vireo

A slender, long-tailed mid-story and canopy warbler-like bird with olive green upperparts extending to the flanks, a grayish face (sometimes extending to the forehead) with a striking pale lemon eye, and a bright yellow throat and breast bisected by a thin black bar. Pairs are resident in forest, forest edge, and plantations, where they may join mixed-species flocks. Song, often in duet, a strident repeated two syllable “ti-leep” from the male and a higher-pitched ‘ti-ti-ti….” from the female.

Medium-sized thrush of montane forests. Looks large and bulky compared to other thrushes in range; note male’s distinctive black head contrasting with brownish-olive body and yellow bill and legs. Female is similarly patterned but much duller. Found in highland forest and second growth, generally above 800 meters, where it is often the most common thrush. Most reliably seen at fruiting trees, where many individuals may congregate; also often seen at middle levels of forest, where it may take conspicuous perches to assess an observer before flying off. Song is a halting series of phrases, many of them doublets, generally alternating between rich, low notes and high reedy ones; call note is a rich, liquid bark. Male is unlikely to be confused with other species; female could be confused with female Pale-eyed Thrush but is larger, has darker eyes with distinct eyering and a semblance of male’s hooded look.

One of the most common and widespread warblers; often the core member of mixed warbler flocks during migration, especially early in spring and late in fall. Two main populations: “Audubon’s” breeds mainly in the mountains of the western U.S. and into British Columbia; “Myrtle” breeds from the eastern U.S. across Canada to Alaska. All plumages show a bright yellow rump and yellow on the sides. Most “Audubon’s” have a yellow throat, but dull immature females can be off-white. “Myrtle” Warblers have a white throat that wraps around below the cheek. Both subspecies breed in coniferous or mixed forests, often near clearings or edges. In migration and winter, found in any woodland or open shrubby area, including coastal dunes, fields, parks, and residential areas. Often sallies out from a conspicuous perch to snatch insects. Also eats berries in the winter. Calls frequently: a flat “check” (Myrtle) or rising “chit” (Audubon’s). Another distinctive sedentary population, surely a separate species, occurs very locally in the highlands of Guatemala: Goldman’s Warbler. Males are strikingly black overall, and show a mostly yellow throat with white corners.