Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler

A large, long-tailed raptor of lowland and montane forest and clearings. Commonly seen in flight soaring in circles over the canopy with wing and tail feathers spread, showing strong barring. The only similar looking raptor that regularly soars is Pacific Baza, but Long-tailed Honey-buzzard has a streaked chest and lacks the buffy underwing and belly. When perched, similar to Doria’s Goshawk, but has yellow eyes and white legs. Usually silent.

A distinctive wagtail with diagnostic wing and breast patterns. It has a prominent, whitish eyebrow with two black crescent-shaped bands on the upper breast; lower one wider when present. Upperparts are brown-gray with a greenish tinge. Two broad white wingbars on an otherwise black wing.  Immature is browner, less green above than adult, the breast-bands brownish-black and narrower, the lower one completely or partially missing. Inhabits all kinds of woodlands, foraging on forest paths, swinging its tail side to side (not up and down), and when disturbed, flushing into trees. Call is a metallic “pink” produced in flight. Song is a two-noted “tis-fee” repeated 4-5 times.

Rather local and endemic to highlands of Mexico. Unlike most yellowthroats, not found in marshes. Occurs in brushy scrub and chaparral thickets, where usually quite skulking, but sometimes sings from conspicuous perches. Upperparts and flanks are relatively dark greenish olive. Duskier than Common Yellowthroat, which is a common migrant throughout range of Hooded, but Common are usually near water. Male Hooded has gray border above black mask. Female has a ghosting of male pattern with some grayish on forehead, but can be difficult to distinguish from Common.