Mouse-brown Sunbird

Medium-sized blackbird found locally in habitats with wet grass. Shiny black, with a white or light yellow eye and sharply pointed black bill. Giant Cowbird occasionally has a pale eye and may appear similar, but is much larger than Pale-eyed Blackbird; told apart from the similar Velvet-fronted Grackle by its pale eyes, longer, more pointed bill, and shorter tail. Found in wet grasslands and grassy margins of oxbow lakes, where it forages singly, in pairs, or in small groups.

Medium-sized antshrike with a rather small head, a short robust bill, and a long tail. Males are black with white spots and an entirely black tail while females are black with cinnamon spots and barring throughout. Mostly seen in pairs in the dense understory of humid forests closer to bamboo, can be active but hard to see. The song is a loud and clear series of ascending and descending notes.

Handsome grassland bird found from the southwestern US to central Mexico. It was long considered a subspecies of the widespread Eastern Meadowlark, but recent research has shown that it should be treated as a distinct species. In the limited area where their ranges meet, note that Chihuahuan Meadowlark has paler flanks and more white in the tail. Separating Chihuahuan Meadowlark and Western Meadowlark is a common ID challenge as their ranges mostly overlap. Voice is often the safest bet. Chihuahuan Meadowlark has a simpler, less gurgled song and its typical call note is a sharp “zit” (not a low “chuck”). Silent birds can be identified if the tail is seen well. Chihuahuan Meadowlark’s outer four tail feathers are almost completely white, whereas the white in Western Meadowlark’s tail is mostly restricted to the outer three feathers. Chihuahuan Meadowlark’s cheek also tends to be paler, though this is not always a reliable feature. Prefers tall, undisturbed grassland areas, often scattered with oak trees. Feeds on the ground where it usually stays well hidden, and sometimes sits on exposed perches, especially when singing.