Wild Journal

Small flycatcher, bright yellow overall with two yellow wingbars, a dark line through the eye, and a short yellow eyebrow. Rather long tail. Sexes alike. Brighter yellow than most other tyrannulets.

Well-named: this distinctive large jay is the color of dark chocolate with paler grayish belly. Sexes alike; juveniles similar to adults but with yellow legs, bill, and eyering.

Medium-sized, rather chunky parrot of humid tropical lowlands. Found in rainforest and edge, where easily overlooked in the canopy, feeding quietly on fruits.

Secretive and very difficult to see. Distinctive antpitta shape: very plump with hardly any tail, very long sturdy legs. Distinguished from other antpittas by rich rufous flanks with darker streaking on breast.

In typical woodcreeper fashion, this bird is mostly warm brown with streaks on the head and breast. Look for the notably long, extremely decurved bill.

Large hummingbird with long white-tipped central tail feathers. Male is entirely blue-green; female has gray belly, green back, and obvious stripes on face. Bill extremely long and decurved.

Uncommon but unmistakable. Very large spectacular owl of humid evergreen forest in tropical lowlands and foothills. Often roosts at low to middle levels, usually well hidden in shady spots, and flushes easily.

Blue-vented Hummingbird: Fairly small dark hummingbird, green overall with dark blue tail. Straight, medium-length bill. Copper rump and absence of rufous wing flash help distinguish from other similar species.

Black-crested Coquette: Tiny, insect-like hummingbird of humid tropical forest and edge in foothills and lowlands; infrequently seen. Feeds quietly at all levels in small flowers where could easily be passed off as a big moth or bumblebee (and vice versa).

White-tipped Sicklebill: This streaky hummingbird has a remarkably decurved bill like a Velociraptor claw. The bill shape alone distinguishes it from all hummingbirds except the very similar Buff-tailed Sicklebill, which only overlaps in some areas of the range.

Yellow-throated Euphonia: Tiny finch of tropical lowlands and foothills, mainly in humid areas. Found in forest canopy, adjacent clearings with trees, gardens.

Purple-throated Mountain-gem: Stunning medium-sized hummingbird. Male shows bright purple throat, blue crown, and white line behind eye.

Uniform medium-brown above from head to tail. Distinctive pale, buffy eyering and face separates Swainson’s from other thrushes. Spots are concentrated and clearly defined on upper breast, becoming smudgier towards belly. Breeds in the boreal forest.

Fairly large, bright green parrot of humid tropical lowlands. Fairly common. Found in forest, edge, and semiopen areas with scattered tall trees and forest patches.

Chunky little bird of humid forest edge and second-growth thickets (especially with Heliconia plants) in tropical lowlands.

Small tanager, overall lemon-yellow but not super bright; usually looks a bit dirty. Distinctive silvery throat; also note green edges on wing feathers and black streaks on back. Sexes similar; females a bit duller than males.

Parakeets are fairly small parrots, usually with a relatively long and somewhat pointed tail. This species is fairly common in tropical lowlands, mainly in semi-open areas with scattered trees, woodland, locally in towns and suburban areas.

Plainest swallow in North America. Plain brown above with indistinct brown wash across throat and breast. Wings are relatively broad; tail is short and square (or slightly notched). Juveniles have rusty wingbars.

Anis are bizarre, coal-black cuckoos with long floppy tails and unique, curiously tall, flattened bills. Groove-billed occurs in a variety of open and semi-open habitats in tropical lowlands and foothills, typically staying low in shrubs and grasses.

Handsome, mostly silvery gray bird of tropical and subtropical forest and adjacent semi-open areas with taller trees.

Large raptor. Uniform black with silvery patches on undersides of wingtips. In flight, broad, rounded wings with distinct “fingers” are held flat like a board.

Fairly large gray bird with flat head and upright posture. Distinctive white forehead and chin and bright red bill. Sexes alike. Found in forested areas, often perched on an open branch at middle or upper levels; also can be seen at forest edges or clearings.

Rather large, dark, yellow-tailed bird of humid evergreen forest and edge in tropical lowlands. Where present, colonies of large pendulous nests adorn tall trees. Often in flocks, usually in forest canopy at fruiting trees.

Small, warbler-like tanager of tropical lowlands. Favors forest edge, woodland, and semi-open areas with taller trees. Often occurs in small groups, sometimes larger flocks, usually in the canopy of flowering trees, where it probes for nectar with its long bill.

Small, fast-flying parakeet of humid lowlands; restricted to the Pacific slope in the northern parts of its range. Favors forest patches and fairly open country with hedges and tall trees, including towns and villages.

Mostly green with long, pointed tail. Red forehead. In flight, look for red patch under shoulder. Almost always in small flocks, which feed inconspicuously on fruit in gardens, forest edges, and second growth.

Large, bright green parrot of humid evergreen forest in tropical lowlands. Uncommon. Found in rainforest and adjacent clearings, not in open habitats.

Fairly small parrot of tropical lowlands. Found in semi-open areas with scattered trees, woodland, and forest patches, in both drier and more humid areas.