Golden Parrotbill

Fairly common in oak and pine-evergreen forests in foothills and highlands; a few descend in winter to lowlands of west Mexico. Forages mainly at middle to upper levels where often quiet and overlooked easily. Note the bold white wingbars, big white tertial and tail spots, and dark streaks on back. Male flame-orange in west Mexico and deeper orange-red in east Mexico and Central America. Female told from female Western Tanager by gray bill, bolder white wing markings, and streaked back. Calls and song very like Western Tanager.

Distinctive small swallow with blue-black upperparts, a big white rump patch, and snow-white underparts. Juvenile in late summer and autumn is duller above and dingier below than adult. Compare with other swallows; note the relatively shallowly forked and streamerless tail, as well as jerky and fluttery flight. In east of range, overlaps with very similar Siberian House-Martin (formerly treated as one species); note present species’ significantly smaller rump patch. Breeds colonially, frequently building mud nests under the eaves of buildings; forages over varied open and semi-open habitats, especially water bodies and adjacent fields. Gives a soft burbling trill.

The most common small gull through most of North America, especially inland. Breeding adults have a black head, thin white eye arcs, bright red legs, light gray upperparts, and black wingtips. Note distinctive wing pattern on adults in flight: white wedge on the leading edge of the wing, with small black tips on the outer wing feathers. Nonbreeding adults and immatures have pinkish legs and a mostly white head with black ear spot. Immatures are more heavily marked with brown and black on the wings. Breeds near water in boreal forest; the only gull that makes a stick nest in a tree. Often seen in large flocks along beaches, bays, coves, and lakes during migration and winter. Feeds on small fish and invertebrates, often gracefully fluttering around and picking them off the water surface.