White-throated Mountain-Babbler

Common and fairly widespread across much of North America and the Caribbean. Medium-sized songbird with a relatively long tail, small head, and short bill. Gray above and paler whitish below. Note white wingbars and large white patch at the base of the primaries. Found in a variety of open habitats with scattered bushes or trees, often close to human settlements. Well-known for its impressive mimicry; often includes a wide range of other birds, car alarms, slamming doors, and other mechanical noises in its song. Limited range overlap with Tropical Mockingbird at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico; Northern is most easily identified by its large white wing patches.

A widespread weaver that is known for its nest—a long hanging nest with a bulbous chamber and a narrow tubular entrance. Breeding males have yellow forehead and crown, a dark throat that contrasts with yellow underparts. Nonbreeding males and females are similar except they have buffy colors where breeding males are yellow; also note the dark streaks on the back and the broad buffy eyebrow on females. Juvenile resembles female, but lack the female’s obvious eyebrow. Baya Weavers lack the strongly streaked appearance of Streaked Weavers. Regional variation in plumage exist mainly in the amount of yellow and black in breeding plumage. Occur as flocks, particularly in breeding season. Advertising calls of males are an easy way to detect the species as several males in the flock call together creating a cacophony of a series of rasping chatters followed by a buzzing whistle interspersed with long chatters.

A small, speckle-backed cormorant that is common and widespread in fresh water. The adult is blackish with a short black crest above the bill. Immatures are brownish with paler underparts. Although they share the same habitat with Great Cormorant, Long-tailed Cormorants can be separated by their much smaller size, red eyes, and proportionately longer tails. Generally, Long-tailed Cormorant avoids the marine habitats of the similar-looking Crowned Cormorant, which has a larger crest, an unspeckled back, and a shorter tail.