Turquoise-throated Barbet

Uncommon, large, and spectacular bird of lowland tropical forest, mainly in wilder areas and not around human habitation. Most often seen soaring overhead in mid-late morning, often fairly high up with kettles of Black Vultures; rarely seen perched. Striking adult has a colorful head and neck, piercing white eyes, and mostly white plumage with a black trailing edge to the wings and tail. Immature is blackish overall and lacks the white wing markings of the smaller Black Vulture. Immature develops adult plumage over a few years with white appearing first on the belly and the underside of the wings.

As gray as the high cliffs, rocky meadows, and glacial moraines it frequents, this mountain-finch is often quite tame and will often take food from monasteries and local highland villages. The dark head and plain body of breeding adults are unique amongst the passerines in its range. Nonbreeding birds are paler-headed, but still retain some of the darkness, especially near the bill, and are less well-marked on the back than Plain Mountain-Finch.

Fairly common little bird of grassland and weedy areas in the tropical lowlands and foothills. Occurs from Texas to Panama. Often in flocks, mixing readily with other “weed-eating” small birds. Plumage is very variable, but all birds have a stubby dark bill with a curved culmen. Usually shows two whitish wingbars. Breeding plumage males with a black cap and bold white collar are usually outnumbered by female-plumaged birds, which are plain brownish, sometimes showing buffy wingbars.