Black-winged Monarch

Medium-sized, slender songbird, dark above, white below; rather large for a minivet. Male has white forecrown and brow, lacking in female. In both sexes, white of breast curves up behind black ear coverts, producing a distinctive head pattern. Both also show dusky patches on the sides of the breast that make a “vested” appearance. Inhabits lowland to montane forests, where typically forages in small flocks. Gives a dry trilling call, often in flight.

Svelte with a long, pointed tail. Plain brown overall with dark spots on wing. Juvenile is covered with pale scaly pattern, but is much larger and longer-tailed than ground doves. Widespread and common throughout much of North America, from southern Canada to Panama, including the Caribbean. Found in a variety of habitats from agricultural fields to lightly wooded areas. Loves suburbs, where it often sits on telephone wires and visits bird feeders. Avoids dense forest, but found on forest edges. Usually seen in pairs or small flocks, sometimes gathering in larger numbers, especially in winter. Listen for distinctive cooing song and whistling wings as it takes off.

Small, confusing leaf warbler with olive-yellow upperparts, yellow brow, double wing bars, and a pale crown stripe. Extremely similar to many other small leaf warblers: Pallas’s Leaf Warbler has a brighter yellow brow stripe, and Chinese Leaf Warbler has an incrementally weaker head pattern and a small hook at the rear end of the black eye stripe. Lemon-rumped Warbler is extremely similar visually but averages paler on the brow stripe and darker on the underparts. Listen for the song, an accelerating series of sharp chips followed by a trill; its calls include a tinkling series of chips. Inhabits mid-altitude forests, usually bushy poplar and birch groves; found at lower altitudes than Chinese Leaf Warbler.