Long-tailed Manakin

An unusual dark twinspot with a gray hood, a red back and rump, and large white “twin spots” on the belly. Found in areas of tall grass, both in lush savanna and along forest edge. Usually in pairs or small groups. Most similar to Brown Twinspot, but separated by many details, including the red back and the twin spots restricted to the belly. The calls are simple, often repeated “seet” and “veet” notes. The song is a variable mix of the call notes, plus high-pitched bubbling and squealing notes. 

Tiny gray and white bird with cocked tail. Common in tropical dry forest and scrub of Pacific lowlands. Male has a black cap, solid in breeding season, but with narrow white eyebrow in non-breeding season. Female has gray cap with narrow white eyebrow year-round. Told from Blue-gray Gnatcatcher by face pattern: Blue-gray has a white eyering, not a white brow.

Slender shorebird known for spinning frantically on water to stir up small invertebrates. Note needle-thin bill, longer and thinner than other phalaropes. Breeding females are brighter and more contrasting than males: note gray cap, peachy-orange neck with broad black stripe, and gray-and-rufous back. Males are duller with plainer grayish-brown upperparts and a less distinct dark neck stripe. Nonbreeding birds are very pale gray above and white below with a rather plain face and yellowish legs. Juveniles show crisp buffy edges on wing feathers. Prefers shallow ponds, marshes, and lakes, sometimes in large flocks. Can mix with Red-necked Phalarope; Wilson’s is larger, lankier, and longer-billed. Feeds frantically, more often on land than other phalaropes. Never on the open ocean. Most common in western North America; uncommon to rare in the east. Winters as far south as Tierra del Fuego.