Buff-throated Warbling Finch

Small yellowish finch with prominent wingbars. Male is attractive and distinctive, with a yellow face and breast offset by a black cap and small chin patch. Female streaky overall, often with yellowish tones; note especially the yellow wing and tail flashes of both sexes. Inhabits mixed and coniferous woodland and forest; also found in parks and gardens, and visits seed feeders. Often in flocks, mainly in the autumn and winter, gathering at good food sources. Listen for twittering, buzzing vocalizations, including nasal, rising “tuohweee” and dry chittering.

Male Norfolk Robins have dark upperparts, a white forehead patch and wing bars, and a red breast. Females are mainly brown with a pinkish breast.

Large, dark swallow. Distinctive north of Mexico, where it is the largest swallow. Adult males are dark overall with a purplish-blue iridescence visible at close range. Females are grayer with iridescence on the crown and back, and variable splotchy patterning on the underparts. Immatures lack any purplish color and have a whiter belly. Gives a distinctive liquid gurgling call. In the eastern U.S., nests exclusively in nest boxes and martin houses; also uses natural cavities in parts of the western U.S. and Mexico. Departs breeding grounds in the late summer, locally staging in massive numbers. Winters primarily in the Amazon basin of South America. During migration and winter, identification is complicated by several other extremely similar species of martin. Identification features are not well known; some are best left unidentified.