Chestnut Wattle-eye

Large, lanky blackbird with rounded crown and long tail. Males have ridiculously long tails, almost as long as their body, often held in a V-shape like the keel of boat. Males are glossy black. Females are brown, with subtle face pattern. Eye color ranges from brown along western Gulf Coast to yellow on Atlantic Coast. Strictly coastal, except in Florida where they occur inland (often around human development). Overlaps with similar Great-tailed Grackle on Texas coast, but occurs more strictly in coastal saltmarshes and has dark eye (not pale).

Handsome and eye-catching bird that is fairly common in grassland, steppe, matorral, farmland, and even town parks with grassy areas. Feeds mainly on the ground, at times in small groups, but male sings from prominent perches and in flight. Male has a bright red breast, long pointed bill, and white eyebrow. Female has much less red below, but note size and shape, and pale eyebrow. No similar species in its Chilean range, but in Argentina compare with Pampas Meadowlark.

Colorful, chunky waxbill with a massive, conical bill. Both sexes have a red hood and tail, but males have a black base color and more red, and females a brown base color. Found in a variety of lush habitats, including forest edge and understory, moist scrub, marshes, and plantations. Shy and inconspicuous. Often in pairs. The call is an explosive, metallic “zink” and the song a quick, explosive jumble. Similar to bluebills, but separated by the all-bluish bill.