Banded Prinia

Brightly-colored warbler with a contrasting face pattern with dark cheeks and crown surrounded by bright yellow. Also shows olive back, bold white wingbars, and yellow on the breast. Intensity of color varies with age and sex; adult males are brightest, with black throat, while immatures are more washed out with a pale yellowish throat. Breeds in mature coniferous forests in northwestern North America. Winters from the Pacific coast of the U.S. to Costa Rica, with large numbers especially in the highlands of Mexico and Guatemala. Usually stays in the canopy. Sometimes gathers in large mixed flocks with other warblers and small songbirds, especially on the wintering grounds. Compare with plainer-faced Hermit Warbler, and beware that hybrids occur. Also similar to Black-throated Green Warbler, which overlaps in range most often on the wintering grounds; note Townsend’s darker cheeks and more extensive yellow on breast.

Rusty above with pale brown underparts, a whitish throat, and a long spiky tail. Occurs on shrubby river islands favoring early successional vegetation. Song is an accelerating and descending series of “tew” notes, ending in a trill. The rather similar Rusty-backed Spinetail has buffy underparts, a less distinct eyebrow, and a different song, and occurs in seasonally flooded forests and gallery forests.

A common, lovebird-sized parrot of wooded areas in the lowlands and foothills. Overall green in color with a darker back, darker wings with blue edges and black tips, and paler green underparts and rump. Male has a blue face and collar. Female has reduced blue on the face with a scaled collar and rump. Similar in length to Philippine Hanging-Parrot, but Guaiabero is shorter-tailed and stockier, with a black rather than red bill. Voice consists of high-pitched ringing notes, often given in pairs.