American Barn Owl
Tyto furcata
Medium-sized owl with a heart-shaped facial disc and deep dark eyes; the only Tyto owl present across most of its range; on Hispaniola compare to Ashy-faced Owl. Varies across a wide range, but always note white-and-black speckling on the upperparts, beautiful gray-and-tawny wings, and large round head. Color of the facial disc and underparts varies from pure white to rusty orange. Hunts in open areas by night, foraging with a slow and buoyant flight. Roosts in old buildings, tree hollows, caves, and nest boxes by day. Gives a bone-chilling, rising shriek, as well as shorter rasping calls and insect-like clicks.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Tyto furcata
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Tytonidae
- Genus
- Tyto
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Philippine Eagle-Owl
Ketupa philippensis
A large owl of lowland and foothill forest, including secondary habitat and plantations. Warm brown with a heavily marked back, a heavily streaked rufous head and chest, and a more sparsely streaked pale belly. Note the square-shaped head with flattened ear tufts and the yellow eyes. Unmistakable. No other owls of similar size occur in its range. Gives a long, drawn-out, spooky whistled note whose pitch rises slightly, then falls at the end.
Black-capped Gnatcatcher
Polioptila nigriceps
Long-tailed little bird of dry forest and scrub in northwest Mexico. Found as singles, pairs, or family groups, usually foraging at low to middle levels. Breeding plumage male (March–August) has black cap, but other plumages very similar to Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, a common migrant throughout the range of Black-capped. These species best separated by call note: Black-capped has lower and rougher call than mew of Blue-gray. Also note Blue-gray often has a pinkish base to its smaller bill (gray on Black-capped), a more distinct white eyering (face a little more "open" on Black-capped), and a shorter, less strongly graduated tail.
Buff-breasted Sabrewing
Campylopterus duidae
Large green and buff-colored hummingbird of the remote tepui highlands of southern Venezuela and extreme northern Brazil. Note the green upperparts, whitish spot behind the eye, and buff tail and underparts. Sexes similar. Common in tepui highlands, in bushes, forest edges, and open areas with small trees. Territorial, often alone or in pairs close to flowers. Voice is a nasal “dui” note repeated many times.
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