Santa Marta Warbler (Myiothlypis basilica) - 04Aug2019

This is yet another of the Colombian endemics that are restricted to the Santa Marta mountains.  And what a beautiful one at that!  

Three-striped Warbler (Basileuterus tristriatus) - 14Aug2024

The Three-striped Warbler is the South American version of its northern counterparts of the Costa Rican and Tacaruna Warblers found north of Colombia in the mountains of Panama and Costa Rica.  The Three-striped ranges from the mountains of Venezuela down to Peru.  I took the below photos on my second trip to Colombia at the Termales del Ruiz.  In the second phot you can see the bird is banded.

Costa Rican Warbler (Basileuterus melanotis) - 03Dec201

Although I love the idea of a Costa Rican Warbler, I think its other name of Black-eared Warbler is better because this species is not endemic to Costa Rica, it does cross over the southern border of that amazing country.  In addition, this species used to be lumped with the Three-Striped Warbler and the Tacaruna Warbler.  The Tacaruna inhabits Panama and the very northern parts of Colombia and the Three-stripe is further to the south in the Andes from Venezuela down to Peru.  I took this awful photo at the La Paz Waterfall Gardens in the Talamancas of Costa Rica.  However, it is a special photo for me as it is one of my earliest bird photos.

Golden-crowned Warbler (Basileuterus culicivorus) - 09 & 15 & 21Aug2022

Golden-crowned Warbler and White-bellied Warbler used to be two different species but were lumped together.  They are found from Mexico all the way down to northern Argentina.  The White-bellied sub-species inhabits south central Brazil.  The rest of the species have yellow underparts.  I have photographed both in Brazil during my trip to the Pantanal.

Chestnut-capped Warbler (Basileuterus delattrii) - 10Aug2024

The Chestnut-capped Warbler was previously lumped with the Rufous-capped Warbler but they were split in 2021.  The Chestnut one inhabits Central and northern South America whereas the Rufous-capped is mostly in Mexico and crosses over a bit south and north of the Mexican borders.  I have seen the Chestnut ones a few times but only obtained half decent pics on my second trip to Colombia. 

Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) - 20Dec2014

This scrub jay is the only species endemic to Florida which is surprising for a couple reasons.  On the one hand, they do have a large range across Florida despite their numbers being limited so you would have thought some would have strayed into Georgia or other neighboring states.  On the other hand, you would have thought Florida had some other endemic species.  They are heavily reliant on florida scrub habitat which is further reliant on pines and oaks that thrive in sandy soils and wildfires.  It is thought that they derive from a Woodhouse's Scrub Jay as a common ancestor but thousands of years ago.

Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) - 10Feb2025

This tringa sandpiper is a migratory species with a huge range across Eurasia and Africa.  I had this one at a distance in the Camargue in France, but I would have had trouble with ID if the guide hadn't heard it.  I hope to get better photos in the near future.  They look similar to Common Sandpipers and also to the American Solitary Sandpiper. 

Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) - 14Aug2024

For some strange reason it has taken me a long time to bag a Potoo species.  The Common Potoo has a massive range across Central and South America and can usually be easily found day roosting or with their big yellow-bulging eyes when spotlighting the forest at night.  I finally got mine first photograph of one on my second trip to Colombia on the grounds of the Montezuma Rainforest Lodge.  I am sure I will get many opportunities to improve on pictures in the coming years.

Yellow-billed Teal (Anas flavirostris) - 29Feb2022

My buddy Matt and I snuck away from our cruise ship group on a layover in Ushuaia, Argentina to look for some birds while we waited for our flight.  These Yellow-billed Teals where quite far off but the bill color is diagnostic. They inhabit lakes and other bodies of water at the very southern end of South America as well as some offshore islands like the Falklands.  Interestingly, although they look very different from Green-winged Teals, that is the species they are most closely related to genetically. 

Flightless Steamer-duck (Tachyeres pteneres) - 18Feb2022

This large flightless duck of Chile and the Tierra del Fuego area of South America is huge, approaching goose territory.  They have spurs on their wings that they can use to fight each other or even other species.   We had a bunch of them when taking a ferry in the Tierra del Fuego area in Argentina near Ushuaia.  As you can see from my second picture, they can sink below the water's surface much like a Pied-billed Grebe.

Hispaniolan Mango (Anthracothorax dominicus) - 21&24Dec2024

The Hispaniolan Mango is a Hispaniolan endemic that is fairly common throughout the island.  That being said, I couldn't find any hummingbird feeders anywhere that I went in the Dominican Republic so you if you want to see them, look for some good flowering bushes or trees and wait.  This one was hanging out near the hotel we stayed at on the north coast.

Green-fronted Lancebill (Doryfera ludovicae) - 13Aug2024

This hummer has two disjunct populations in the Talamanca mountains of Central America and in the Andes of South America.  They are a little tricky to see because as far as I know they don't typically visit feeders, so if you see a bush or tree with lots of flowers in these montane habitats, maybe you will get lucky and see one like I did with this one on the Camino Montezuma in Colombia.

Golden-cheeked Warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia) - 08Apr2024

The Golden-cheeked Warbler is an endangered migratory American warbler that has a small breeding range entirely on the Edwards Plateau of Texas west of San Antonio and Austin.  They winter in Mexico and Central America in the Sierra Madre Oriental.  On breeding territory they nest almost entirely in Juniper trees.  I had mine just west of San Antonio during a total eclipse of the sun, or just before it so it was super memorable.

Hermit Warbler (Setophaga occidentalis) - 29May2021

The Hermit Warbler is a migratory warbler that breeds in the western United States and has two disjunct wintering populations, one in southern California and the other in Mexico and Central America.  I finally obtained some decent photos while visiting some family in Eugene Oregon.

Grace's Warbler (Setophaga graciae) - 08Aug2021

Grace's Warbler is an American warbler that has some migratory populations that breed in the southwestern United States and other resident populations mostly found in Mexico and Central America.  I have seen them in a few locations in southeast Arizona including these shots from Miller Canyon.

Adelaide's Warbler (Setophaga adelaidae) - 22Dec2014

This is a Puerto Rican endemic warbler that used to be conspecific with ones found on Barbuda and St. Lucia, but those were split out into their own species.  I only saw one on the southwest corner of PR during a surf trip with the family.

Tropical Parula (Setophaga pitiayumi) - 12-13Aug2022

Tropical Parula is a widespread species from northern Mexico down to northern Argentina with some even crossing over into south Texas although hybridization with Northern Parula muddies the water there.  All my photos are from the Pantanal in Brazil where there is no danger of hybridization with the Northern Parula.

Lucy's Warbler (Leiothlypis luciae) - 26Jul2013 & 06Aug2021

The Lucy's Warbler is the smallest of the new world warblers and is closely related to Nashville, Colima and Virginia's Warbler.  It breeds in the southwestern United States and has one resident population in the Big Bend area of Texas.  The migratory ones go to Mexico for the winter. Both of my pictures are from Arizona with the second one being one of the oldest bird photos I have taken.  I used to travel a ton for my job and went to Arizona regularly but only just started birding so didn't take full advantage of the travel until the very end.

Unicolored Blackbird (Agelasticus cyanopus) - 16-21Aug2022

This blackbird of South American marshes and wetlands mostly inhabits the southern parts of the Amazon basin and Pantanal which is where I saw these.  However, they also have a population in the northeast of South America.  They look a lot like Chopi Blackbirds but don't share the same habitats and have different vocalizations.  Also, more importantly they are sexually dimorphic and the females look nothing like Chopi Blackbirds. An assortment of males and females are below.

Grayish Baywing (Agelaioides badius) - 18Aug2022

The Grayish Baywing used to be grouped in with cowbirds in the genus Molothrus, but they are not like other cowbirds in many ways.  For example, they are not brood parasites like other cowbirds are.  Not to mention they are gray and have bay colored wings!  They cover a huge area in the southeast of South America including all of the Pantanal in Brazil which is where I took these photos.

Chopi Blackbird (Gnorimopsar chopi) - 13Aug2022

This monotypic blackbird of south and east South America is widespread, common and forms large flocks like our Red-winged Blackbird.  Like our blackbird it is very vocal although I think this one has a more melodic song.  We had tons of them visiting the feeders at Pousada Aguape in the southern Pantanal of Brazil.  They look a lot like the Screaming Cowbird but have a longer more pointy bill.

Scarlet-headed Blackbird (Amblyramphus holosericeus) - 19Aug2022

This striking blackbird is found in the wetlands of South America from the Pantanal down to the coast in northeast Argentina.  This one one photographed in the Pantanal in Brazil.

Red-bellied Grackle (Hypopyrrhus pyrohypogaster) - 21Aug2024

This super cool looking grackle is endemic to Colombia and has a Vulnerable status per IUCN criteria due to increasing habitat loss in the montane forests it prefers.  As you can see from my first photo, they will visit fruit feeders.

Giant Cowbird (Molothrus oryzivorus) - 10&12Aug2022

These massive Cowbirds can be found from mid-Mexico all the way down to the southeast coast in South America.  They truly are giant, and also like other cowbirds are nest parasites.  However, instead of parasitizing small blackbirds, they lay eggs in Oropendola and Cacique nests.  My pictures are from the Pantanal in Brazil.

Screaming Cowbird (Molothrus rufoaxillaris) 10&13&19Aug2022

This cowbird species of southern South America looks a lot like the Chopi Blackbird which it nest parasitizes and can easily mix in with the blackbird flocks.  However it has a much thicker and more stout bill.  We had them in ones and twos in various difference spots in the Pantanal in Brazil.