Parrot-billed Seedeater

Endemic and distinctive, medium-sized hummingbird found in the foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur in Oaxaca. Favors humid evergreen forests and shade-coffee plantations. Mainly feeds at low to middle levels, darting quickly among flowers and flashing open its mostly white tail. Both sexes have a bright rusty panel in the wings, which appears as a blur when hovering. Male is brilliant green overall with blue cap. Female is pale gray below and has less white in the tail.

Only in Mexico. Fairly common small hummingbird of dry coastal scrub in northern Yucatan Peninsula; also very local in dry scrub of central Veracruz. Favors fairly open areas with low scrubby bushes and agave plants. Note the long and slightly arched bill and the long tail, which is usually held closed in a single point. Striking male is distinctive if you are lucky enough to see one. Females and immatures have a distinctive dusky cheek stripe, and usually outnumber adult males by at least 5 to 1.

Small finchlike bird with brown wings, pale bill, and yellowish rump. Found in areas with tall grass, often in flocks beside rivers or floodplains, sometimes mixed with other seed-eating species. Pale gray head contrasts with dark brown back and wings, underparts pale buff, and rump and tail dark yellowish tone. Juvenile very plain, easily confused with juvenile Chestnut-breasted (which has less uniform upperparts) or Pictorella Munia (which has shadow pattern of dark ear coverts, recalling adult’s).