The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.

Caracaras are birds of prey in the family Falconidae. They are traditionally placed in the subfamily Polyborinae, but are sometimes considered part of their own subfamily,Caracarinae, or members of the true falcon subfamily, Falconinae. Caracaras are principally birds of South and Central America, just reaching the southern United States.

Unlike the Falco falcons in the same family, the birds in the five relevant genera are not fast-flying aerial hunters, but are comparatively slow and are often scavengers (a notable exception being the Red-throated Caracara).

The Barred Antshrike, Thamnophilus doliatus, is a passerine bird in the antbird family. It is found in the Neotropics fromTamaulipas, Mexico, through Central America, Trinidad and Tobago, and a large part of South America east of the Andes as far south as northern Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. There is one accepted record from southern Texas. It is found in a wide range of wooded habitats (even gardens and parks) in both humid and arid regions. Throughout a large part of its range, it is among the most common antbirds.

Adults have olive upperparts, darker on the wings and tail, with whitish underparts; they have a white eye ring, white wing bars and a wide bill. The breast is washed with olive. The upper part of the bill is dark; the lower part is yellowish. This bird's song is an explosive peet-sa. The call is a soft peet. They also have a call similar to that of the Northern Flicker.

The Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata) is a large, conspicuous and noisy kingfisher, commonly found along the lower Rio Grande River valley in southeasternmost Texas in the United States through Central America to Tierra del Fuego in South America.

The breeding habitat is areas near large bodies of water, usually in heavily wooded areas where it finds a perch to hunt from. It is mostly a sedentary species, remaining in territories all year long.

It is 40–41 cm long, with deep blue or bluish-gray plumage with white markings, a shaggy crest and a broad white collar around the neck. Its most distinguishing characteristic is the entire rufous belly, which also covers the entire breast of the male. Females are more colorful than the male (i.e., reverse sexual dimorphism) and have a bluish-gray breast and a narrow white stripe separating the breast from the belly.

These birds nest in a horizontal tunnel made in a river bank or sand bank. The female lays 3 to 6 eggs. Both parents excavate the tunnel, incubate the eggs and feed the young.

It is often seen perched prominently on trees, posts, or other suitable "watchpoints" close to water before plunging in head first after its fish prey. They also eat small mammals, insects, small reptiles and berries.

Their voice is a loud, penetrating rattle given on the wing and when perched.

The Megaceryle kingfishers were formerly placed in Ceryle with the Pied Kingfisher, but the latter is genetically closer to the American green kingfishers.

The Red-legged Honeycreeper is on average 12.2 cm long, weighs 14 g and has a medium-long black, slightly decurved, bill. The male is violet-blue with black wings, tail and back, and bright red legs. The crown of its headis turquoise, and the underwing, visible only in flight, is lemon yellow. After the breeding season, the malemoults into an eclipse plumage, mainly greenish with black wings.

Females and immatures are mainly green, with paler, faintly streaked underparts. The legs are red-brown in the female, and brown in young birds.

The call of Red-legged Honeycreeper is a thin, high-pitched tsip.

Several subspecies are known. Differences are generally slight, with the Tobago race C. c. tobagensis being slightly larger than the mainland forms for example.

The Purplish Honeycreeper (Chlorophanes purpurascens), a bird from Venezuela known only from the type specimen, is considered to be an intergeneric hybrid between the Green Honeycreeper and either the Red-legged Honeycreeper or the Blue Dacnis.

The Orange-chinned Parakeet (Brotogeris jugularis), also known as the Tovi Parakeet, is a small mainly green parrot of the Brotogeris genus. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dryforests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and heavily degraded former forest. Its name comes from a small clump of bright orange feathers located under the lower beak. Like other parrots, it is capable of imitating simple human speech.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Lesser Kiskadee (Pitangus lictor) is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family. It is found in Argentina, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador,French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland and swamps. It is sometimes considered to be in the monotypic genus Philohydor.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

Adults are 11–13 cm long and weigh about 12 g. The subspecies vary greatly, with upperparts ranging from dull greyish-brown to rich rufescent-brown, and the underparts ranging from brown, over buff and pale grey, to pure white. All subspecies have blackish barring to the wings and tail, and some also to the flanks. All subspecies show a faint eye-ring and eyebrow and have a long, thin bill with a blackish upper mandible, and a black-tipped yellowish or pale grey lower mandible. The legs are pinkish or grey. The short tail is typically held cocked.

This bird's rich bubbly song is commonly heard during the nesting season but rarely afterwards. There is marked geographical variation in its song, though somewhat more gradual than in the birds' outward appearance which can strikingly differ e.g. on neighboring islands in the Caribbean. Birds from far north and south of the species' range nonetheless have songs that differ markedly.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Groove-billed Ani, Crotophaga sulcirostris, is an odd-looking tropical bird in the cuckoo family with a long tail and a large, curved beak. It is a resident species throughout most of its range, from southern Texas and central Mexico through Central America, to northern Colombia and Venezuela, and coastalEcuador and Peru. It only retreats from the northern limits of its range in Texas and northern Mexico during winter.

The Groove-billed Ani is about 34 cm (13 in) long, and weighs 70-90 g (2.5-3.2 oz). It is completely black, with a very long tail almost as long as its body. It has a huge bill with horizontal grooves along the length of the upper mandible. It is very similar to the Smooth-billed Ani, some of which have bills as small as the Groove-billed and with grooves on the basal half. The two species are best distinguished by voice and range. In flight, the ani alternates between quick, choppy flaps and short glides.

Like other anis, the Groove-billed is found in open and partly open country, such as pastures, savanna, and orchards. It feeds largely on a mixed diet ofinsects, seeds, and fruits.

The Groove-billed Ani lives in small groups of one to five breeding pairs. They defend a single territory and lay their eggs in one communal nest. All group members incubate the eggs and care for the young.

The Great Black Hawk, Buteogallus urubitinga, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks and Old World vultures.

The Great Black Hawk is a resident breeding bird in the tropical New World, from Mexico through Central America to Peru, Trinidad and northern Argentina. It resembles the Common Black Hawk, but is larger with a different call and tail pattern.

This is a mainly coastal bird of forest and open woodland near water. It builds a large stick nest in a tree, and usually lays one dark-blotched whitish egg.

The adult Great Black Hawk is 56 to 64 centimeters long and weighs 1.1 kilograms. It has very broad wings, and is mainly black. The short tail is white with a broad black tip. The bill is black and the legs and cere are yellow.

The sexes are similar, but immature birds are dark brown above with spotting and streaks. Their underparts are buff with dark spots, and the tail has a number of black and dusky bars. The call of Great Black Hawk is a distinctive piping ooo-wheeeeee.

The Great Black Hawk feeds mainly on reptiles, other small vertebrates and large insects, often hunted on foot. This species is often seen soaring above woodlands. Along Amazon rivers it has been observed raiding hoatzin nesting colonies looking for eggs and chicks.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Ferruginous Pygmy-owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) is a small owl that breeds in south-central Arizona in the USA, south through toMexico, Central America and South America to Bolivia and Argentina. Trinidad, as well as other localities, have endemic subspecies of this owl. Recent genetics work has found substantial differences in Ferruginous Pygmy-owls from different regions, and members of the northernridgwayi group are sometimes considered a separate species, the Ridgeway's Pygmy-owl (Glaucidium ridgwayi).This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls, Strigidae, the family that contains most species of owl. The other grouping is the barn owls, Tytonidae. In the southern portion of its range, the Ferruginous Pygmy-owl is generally a common bird found in a wide range of semi-open wooded habitats.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Myiarchus tuberculifer, is a passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds in forest and other woodland from southern Arizona, as well as the Chisos Mountains, Texas, south to northern Argentina and on Trinidad. It is resident in most of its range, but American breeders retreat to Mexico in winter.

Adult Dusky-capped Flycatchers are 18cm long and weigh 19.4g. The upperparts are brown, with a blackish head and short crest. The breast is grey and the belly is bright yellow. The brown tail feathers and wings have paler outer webs. The sexes are similar, but young birds have rufous edgings to the wings and tail.

The Dusky-capped Flycatcher is best separated from other confusingly similar Myiarchus species by its smaller size, blackish head, and its call, a sorrowful, descending, whistled peeur or wheeeeeu.

This species is insectivorous and catches its prey by flycatching amongst the middle branches of trees. Fruits such as from Gumbo-limbo(Bursera simaruba), and less frequently from Cymbopetalum mayanum (Annonaceae) are sometimes also eaten, particularly in winter. The nest is built in a tree cavity, and the normal clutch is three brown-marked buff eggs. The young fledge 13 days after hatching.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Crimson-backed Tanager (Ramphocelus dimidiatus) is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family. It is found in Colombia, French Guyana, Panama, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Brown Pelican occurs on coasts in the Americas from Washington and Virginia south to northern Peru and the mouth of the Amazon River, as well as the island of Saut d'Eau in Trinidad and Tobago. Some immature birds may stray to inland freshwater lakes. After nesting, North American birds move in flocks further north along the coasts, returning to warmer waters for winter. Their young are hatched in broods of about 3, and eat around 150 lbs. of fish in the 8–10 month period they are cared for.

This bird is distinguished from the American White Pelican by its brown body and its habit of diving for fish from the air, as opposed to co-operative fishing from the surface. It eats mainly fish and amphibians as well as crustaceans. Groups of Brown Pelicans often travel in single file, flying low over the water's surface.

The nest location varies from a simple scrape on the ground on an island to a bulky stick nest in a low tree. These birds nest in colonies, usually on islands.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

Like most of the Coraciiformes, motmots nest in tunnels in banks, laying about three or four white eggs.

The Blue-crowned Motmot is 38–48 cm (15-19 in) long, depending on race. Nominate M. m. momotamay weigh as little as 77 grams (2.7 oz), while the Highland Motmot may weigh up to 175 grams (6.2 oz). The tail is very long with a bare-shafted racket tip. The upperparts are green, shading to blue on the lower tail, and the underparts are green or rufous depending on subspecies.

In all except the entirely blue-crowned subspecies coeruliceps, the central crown is black and surrounded by a blue band. There is a black eyemask, and the nape of momota is chestnut. The call is a low owl-like ooo-doot, although there are variations depending on the subspecies involved.

These birds often sit still, and in their dense forest habitat can be difficult to see, despite their size. They eat small prey such as insects and lizards, and will also regularly take fruit.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. They range in size from the Forest Rock-thrush, at 21 g (0.74 oz) and 14.5 cm (5.7 in), to the Blue Whistling-thrush, at 178 g (6.3 oz) and 33 cm (13 in). Most species are grey or brown in colour, often with speckled underparts.

They are insectivorous, but most species also eat worms, snails, and fruit. Many species are permanently resident in warm climes, while others migrate to higher latitudes during summer, often over considerable distances.

Thrushes build cup-shaped nests, sometimes lining them with mud. They lay two to five speckled eggs, sometimes laying two or moreclutches per year. Both parents help in raising the young.

The songs of some species, including members of the genera Catharus, Myadestes, and Turdus, are considered to be among the most beautiful in the avian world.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The tanagers (sg. pronounced /ˈtænədʒər/) comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in the order Passeriformes. The family has an American distribution.

There were traditionally about 240 species of tanagers, but the taxonomic treatment of this family's members is currently in a state of flux. As more of these birds are studied using modern molecular techniques it is expected that some genera may be relocated elsewhere. Already species in the genera Euphonia and Chlorophonia, which were once considered part of the tanager family, are now treated as members of Fringillidae, in their own subfamily (Euphoniinae). Likewise the genera Piranga (which includes the Scarlet Tanager, Summer Tanager, and Western Tanager), Chlorothraupis, and Habia appear to be members of the Cardinal family, and have been reassigned to that family by the AOU.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Rufous-collared Sparrow, Zonotrichia capensis, is an American sparrow found in a wide range of habitats, often near humans, from the extreme southeast of Mexico to Tierra del Fuego, and on the island of Hispaniola. It is famous for its diverse vocalizations which have been intensely studied since the 1970s, particularly by Paul Handford and Stephen C. Lougheed (UWO), Fernando Nottebohm (Rockefeller University) and Pablo Luis Tubaro (UBA). Local names for this bird include the Portuguese tico-tico and the Spanish chingolo.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Red-crowned Woodpecker, Melanerpes rubricapillus, is a resident breeding bird from southwestern Costa Rica south to Colombia, Venezuela, theGuianas and Tobago.

This woodpecker occurs in forests and semi-open woodland and cultivation. It nests in a hole in a dead tree or large cactus. The clutch is two eggs, incubated by both sexes, which fledge after 31-33 days.

Adults are 20.5 cm long and weigh 48g. They have a zebra-barred black and white back and wings and a white rump. The tail is black with some white barring, and the underparts are pale buff-brown.

The male has a red crown patch and nape. The female has a buff crown and duller nape. Immature birds are duller, particularly in the red areas of the head and neck. M. r. terricolor of Tobago is larger and darker-breasted than the nominate race.

Red-crowned Woodpeckers feed on insects, but will take fruit and visit nectar feeders.

This common and conspicuous species gives a rattling krrrrrl call and both sexes drum on territory.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Grey Hawk or Grey-lined Hawk (Buteo nitidus) is a smallish raptor found in open country and forest edges. It is sometimes placed in the genusAsturina as Asturina nitida.

It breeds from the southwestern United States and Mexico south to Bolivia, Brazil and central Argentina. It is fairly common on Trinidad, and there have been recent sightings on Tobago.

The Grey Hawk is 46–61 cm (18–24 in) in length and weighs 475 g (16.8 oz) average. The adult has a pale grey body, the tail is black with three white bands and the legs are orange. The population southeastern Pacific Costa Rica to Brazil and Argentina has fine white barring on the upper parts; the northern population is darker overall and uniformly grey above. It is sometimes split as the separate species Buteo plagiatus (or Asturina plagiata; the Grey Hawkproper), but the vocalisations of the "grey" and the "grey-lined" populations are identical.

Immature birds have dark brown upperparts, a pale-banded brown tail, brown-spotted white underparts and a brown streaked buff head and neck. This species is quite short-winged, and has a fast agile flight for a Buteo. The call is a shrill whistled kleee-ooo.

Buteo nitidus feeds mainly on lizards and snakes, but will also take small mammals, birds and frogs. It usually sits on an open high perch from which it swoops on its prey, but will also hunt from a low glide. The nest is of sticks and built high in a tree. The usual clutch is one to three, usually two white to pale blue eggs. The young take about 6 weeks to fledging.

When Buteo plagiatus was still considered a good species, it was also listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. In the 2007 Red List, it is united with B. nitidus.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

This bird occurs in a wide variety of habitats including pastures, riparian forests, and open residential areas with scattered trees. Its breeding range is from central Mexico to central Argentina. In most of this range it is usually found year-round, but in the southern parts of its range itretreats northward for the winter. This species is also known to wander widely. It occurs almost annually in the eastern United States seaboard and Canada.

This flycatcher builds a shallow cup nest 1–10 m high in a shrub or short tree. Females normally lay 2 or 3 eggs.

The Fork-tailed Flycatcher is white below, gray above and has a black cap. Males sometimes show a yellow crown stripe. Males also have an extremely long forked tail, about the same length as that of their cousin, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Females have a somewhat shorter tail, while it is significantly shorter in juveniles. Males are 37–41 cm in length; females, 28–30 cm, including tail. It weighs 28–32 g. The scissor-tailed flycatcher has been reported to be over 40 cm long.

This species is primarily an insectivore, but will switch to berries and small fruits during winter if insects become scarce.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) was sometimes previously known as Man O'War, reflecting its rakish lines, speed, and aerial piracy of other birds.

It is widespread in the tropical Atlantic, breeding colonially in trees in Florida, the Caribbean and Cape Verde Islands. It also breeds along the Pacific coast of the Americas from Mexico to Ecuador including the Galapagos Islands.

It has occurred as a vagrant as far from its normal range as the Isle of Man, Denmark, Spain, England, and British Columbia.

The Magnificent Frigatebird is 100 cm (39 inches) long with a 215 cm (85 inch) wingspan. Males are all black with a scarlet throat pouch which is inflated like a balloon in the breeding season. Although the feathers are black, the scapular feathers produce a purple iridescence when they reflect sunlight. Females are black, but have a white breast and lower neck sides, a brown band on the wings and a blue eye ring. Immature birds have a white head and underparts.

This species is very similar to the other frigatebirds and is similarly sized to all but the Lesser Frigatebird. However, it lacks a white axillary spur, and juveniles show a distinctive diamond-shaped belly patch.

The Magnificent Frigatebird is silent in flight, but makes various rattling sounds at its nest.

This species feeds mainly on fish, and also attacks other seabirds to force them to disgorge their meals. Frigatebirds never land on water, and always take their food items in flight.

They spend days and nights on the wing, with an average ground speed of 10 km/hour, covering 223±208 km before landing. They alternately climb in thermals, to altitudes occasionally as high as 2500 m, and descend to near the sea surface (Chastel et al. 2003). The only other bird known to spend days and nights on the wing is the Common Swift.

A recent study that examined genetic and morphological variation in magnificent frigatebirds found both expected, and also highly unexpected results: Firstly - as predicted by the incredible flight capacity of the species - the authors found signatures of high gene flow across most of the distribution range. This included evidence of recent gene flow among Pacific and Atlantic localities, likely across the isthmus of Panama. This geological formation is a strong barrier to movement in most tropical seabirds. However, the same study also found that the magnificent frigatebird on the Galápagos Islands is genetically and morphologically distinct. Based on this study, the Galápagos population has not been exchanging any genes with their mainland counterparts for several hundred thousand years. This finding is a powerful testimony to the evolutionary uniqueness of the taxa inhabiting the Galápagos Islands and their associated marine ecosystems.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Wattled Jacana Jacana jacana is a wader which is a resident breeder from western Panama and Trinidad south through most of South America east of the Andes.

The jacanas are a group of wetland birds, which are identifiable by their huge feet and claws that enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone.

The Wattled Jacana lays four black-marked brown eggs in a floating nest. The male, as with other jacanas and some other wader families like the phalaropes, takes responsibility for incubation, with two eggs held between each wing and the breast. The females are polyandrous, and will help to defend the nests of up to four mates.

These are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They are 17-23 cm long, but the females are larger than the males. The adults have a chestnut back and wing coverts, with the rest of the body mainly black. In flight the greenish yellow flight feathers are obvious. The yellow bill extends up as a red coot-like head shield and a reddish wattle, and the legs and very long toes are dull blue-grey. There is a long sharp spur on the bend of the wing.

Young birds initially have entirely white underparts, and can always be identified by the presence of white in their plumage.

There are six races, with the nominate J. j. jacana being the most widespread. Several of the other subspecies are similar, but J. j. hypomelaena of western Panama and northern Colombia has all the chestnut plumage replaced by black, and J. j. scapularis of western Ecuador has some black feathers on its chestnut shoulders, and white outer primary feathers.

This species produces a range of noisy rattling calls.

The Wattled Jacana's food is insects, other invertebrates and seeds picked from the floating vegetation or the water’s surface.

Jacana is Linnæus' scientific Latin spelling of the Brazilian Portuguese jaçanã, from the Tupi name of the bird.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) is a large tyrant flycatcher. This bird breeds from southern Arizona and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the USA through Central America, South America as far as south as central Argentina and western Peru, and on Trinidad and Tobago. Birds from the northernmost and southern breeding areas migrate to warmer parts of the range after breeding.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, is a small heron. It breeds from the Gulf states of the USA through Central America and the Caribbean south to Peru and Uruguay. It is a resident breeder in most of its range, but some northern breeders migrate to the southeastern USA or beyond in winter. There is post-breeding dispersal to well north of the nesting range, as far as the border between the US and Canada.

The Little Blue Heron's breeding habitat is sub-tropical swamps. It nests in colonies, often with other herons, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. 3-7 light blue eggs are laid.

This species is about 60 cm (24 in.) long, with a 102 cm (40 in.) wingspan, and weighs 325 g (11.5 oz/0.72 lbs). It is a medium-large, long-legged, heron with a long pointed blue or greyish bill with a black tip.

Breeding adult birds have blue-grey plumage except for the head and neck, which are purplish and have long blue filamentous plumes. The legs and feet are dark blue. Sexes are similar back.

Non-breeding adults have dark blue head and neck plumage and paler legs. Young birds are all white except for dark wing tips and have yellowish legs. They gradually acquire blue plumage as they mature.

White Little Blue Herons often mingle with Snowy Egrets. The Snowy Egret tolerates their presence more than Little Blue Herons in adult plumage. These young birds actually catch more fish when in the presence of the Snowy Egret and also gain a measure of protection from predators when they mix into flocks of white herons. It is plausible that this is because of these advantages, they remain white for their first year.

The Little Blue Heron stalks its prey methodically in shallow water, often running as it does so. It eats fish, frogs crustaceans, small rodents and insects.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is the smallest of the eight species of pelican, although it is a large bird in nearly every other regard. It is 106–137 cm (42–54 in) in length, weighs from 2.75 to 5.5 kg (6-12 lb) and has a wingspan from 1.83 to 2.5 m (6 to 8.2 ft).

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

One of the best-known birds of American farmlands, the Eastern Meadowlark usually delivers its bright song from a conspicuous perch. The Eastern and Western meadowlarks are so similar that at a distance only their songs and calls distinguish them. Moreover, the two may even learn each other's song where their ranges overlap. Meadowlarks are often polygamous; more than one female may be found nesting in the territory of a single male. Because the birds often breed in hay fields, their nests may be destroyed by mowing; unless the season is well advanced, they normally nest again. During migration and winter Eastern Meadowlarks band together in groups of up to a dozen birds and can be found in almost any open grassy area. In flight they keep their wings stiff, typically fluttering them a few times and then sailing.

9-11" (23-28 cm). Robin-sized. A stocky, brown-streaked bird with white-edged tail; bright yellow throat and breast, black V crossing breast. Western Meadowlark is very similar, but paler above, yellow of throat extends onto cheeks; best distinguished by voice.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azoresand England. An all-white population found only in the Caribbean and south Florida was once known as a separate species, the Great White Heron.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Yellow-headed Caracara, Milvago chimachima, is a bird of prey in the family Falconidae. It is found in tropical and subtropical South America and the southern portion of Central America. Unlike the Falco falcons in the same family, the caracaras are not fast-flying aerial hunters, but are rather sluggish and often scavengers.

The Yellow-headed Caracara is 41–46 cm (16–18 in) cm long and weighs 325 g (11.5 oz) on average. The female is larger than the male, weighing 310–360 g (11–13 oz), against his 280–330 g (9.9–12 oz). It is broad-winged and long-tailed, somewhat resembling a small Buteo. The adult has a buff head, with a black streak behind the eye, and buff underparts. The upperparts are brown with distinctive pale patches on the flight feathers of the wings, and the tail is barred cream and brown.

The sexes are similar, but the head and underparts of immature birds have dense brown mottling. The voice of this species is a characteristic screamedschreee.

This is a bird of savannah, swamps and forest edges. The Yellow-headed Caracara is a resident bird from Costa Rica south through Trinidad and Tobago to northern Argentina (the provinces of Misiones, Chaco, Formosa, Corrientes and Santa Fe). It is typically found from sea level to 1,800 m (5,900 ft), occasionally to 2,600 m (8,500 ft) ASL. In southern South America, it is replaced by a close relative, the Chimango Caracara (Milvago chimango), whose range overlaps with that of the Yellow-headed Caracara in southern Brazil, northern Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. A larger and stouterpaleosubspecies, Milvago chimachima readei, occurred in Florida and possibly elsewhere during the Late Pleistocene, some tens of thousand years ago. According to the Peregrine Fund database, the Yellow-headed Caracara is expanding its range into Nicaragua.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) is a large near passerine bird in the cuckoo family. It is a resident breeding species from southern Florida, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, parts of Central America, south to western Ecuador, Brazil, and northern Argentina.

This ani is found in open and semi-open country and areas under cultivation. The nest, built communally by several pairs, is a deep cup lined with leaves and placed usually 2–6 m (6.6–20 ft) high in a tree. A number of females lay their chalky blue eggs in the nest and then share incubation and feeding.

Each female is capable of laying up to seven eggs, and nests have been found containing up to 29 eggs, but it is rare for more than ten to hatch. Incubation is 13-15 days, with another 10 days to fledging. Up to three broods may be raised in a season, with the young of earlier broods helping to feed more recent chicks.

The Smooth-billed Ani is about 33 cm (13 in) long and weighs 95 g (3.4 oz). The adult is mainly flat black, with a long tail, deep ridged black bill and a brown iris. The flight is weak and wobbly, but the bird runs well and usually feeds on the ground.

This is a very gregarious species, always found in noisy groups. The calls include a whining ooo-leeek. The Smooth-billed Ani feeds on termites, large insects and even lizards and frogs. They will occasionally remove ticks and other parasites from grazing animals.

This common and conspicuous species has greatly benefited from deforestation.

This species is called "El pijul" in Venezuelan folklore. It is mentioned in the popular Venezuelan song "Son Jarocho".

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Pacific Parakeet or Nicaraguan Green Conure (Aratinga holochlora strenua) is a subspecies of the Green Parakeet. It was long considered a distinctspecies.

This bird is endemic to a small area in western Nicaragua, the El Chocoyero - El Brujo Protected Area. Nesting sites lie within this protected area, but the birds still face threats from the outside world when they leave the reserve to feed. Nonetheless, its population is considered not immediately threatened (especially compared to some of its relatives such as the Socorro Parakeet), and when it was still considered a good species, it was listed as Most Concern by theIUCN.

 Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga), sometimes called Snakebird, Darter, American Darter, or Water Turkey, is a water bird of the warmer parts of theAmericas. The word "anhinga" comes from the Brazilian Tupi language and means devil bird or snake bird.

It is a cormorant-like bird with an average body length of 85 cm (35 in), a wingspan of 117 cm (45 in), and a weight of 1,350 g (48 oz). It is a dark-plumagedpiscivore with a very long neck, and often swims with only the neck above water. When swimming in this style the name Snakebird is apparent, since only the colored neck appears above water the bird looks like a snake ready to strike.

The Anhinga is placed in the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to Indian (Anhinga melanogaster), African (A. rufa), and Australian (A. novaehollandiae) Darters.

Unlike ducks, the Anhinga is not able to waterproof its feathers using oil produced by the uropygial gland. Consequently, feathers can become waterlogged, making the bird barely buoyant. However, this allows it to dive easily and search for underwater prey, such as fish and amphibians. It can stay down for significant periods.

When necessary, the Anhinga will dry out its wings and feathers. It will perch for long periods with its wings spread to allow the drying process, as do cormorants. If it attempts to fly while its wings are wet, it has great difficulty getting off the water and takes off by flapping vigorously while 'running' on the water. Anhinga will often search for food in small groups.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Pheucticus ludovicianus, is a large seed-eating songbird in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). It breeds in cool-temperateNorth America, migrating to tropical America in winter.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) is a wader in the family Charadriiformes. It is a common and widespread resident throughout South America, except in densely forested regions (e.g. most of the Amazon), the higher parts of the Andes and the arid coast of a large part of western South America. This bird is particularly common in the basin of the River Plate. It has also been spreading through Central America in recent years.

It is a popular bird in Uruguay, where it is called tero. Due to its bold and pugnacious nature it has become the namesake and mascot of the Uruguay national rugby union team, Los Teros. In Brazil it is widely known as quero-quero, an onomatopoetic of its commonly heard voice.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Spectacled Owl, Pulsatrix perspicillata, is a large tropical owl.

It is a residentbreeder from southern Mexico and Trinidad south to southern Brazil,Paraguay and northwestern Argentina. There are six subspecies.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Rufous Motmot, Baryphthengus martii, is a near-passerine bird which is a resident breeder in rain forests from northeastern Honduras south to westernEcuador, northeastern Bolivia, and southwestern Brazil.

This large motmot is 46cm long and weighs 195 g. it is mainly cinnamion-rufous, with a black face mask and central breast spot, green wings and sides, a greenish-blue lower belly, and dark blue tail and flight feathers. The tail is very long and has a bare-shafted racket tip, except the Amazon. The bill and legs are black. Young birds are paler and duller than adults, and lack the tail rackets and black breast spot. The call of the Rufous Motmot is a low owl-like hoop hoop huhuhuhuhuhu.

This is a bird of tall wet forest and second growth. It nests in a 4-5 m long tunnel in a bank or the side of a mammal burrow. The clutch size and eggs are undescribed.

Rufous Motmots feed on insects, lizards, fish and crabs, and also take many fruits, especially those of palms and Heliconias. These birds often sit still on a canopy perch, and in their dense forest habitat can be difficult to see, despite their size and colour.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

Caspian Terns with the orange beaks and black capped heads
Common Terns with the black beaks and whiter heads

The Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia, formerly Sterna caspia; Hydroprogne tschegrava) is a species of tern, with a subcosmopolitan but scattered distribution. Despite its extensive range, it is monotypic of its genus, and has no subspecies accepted either. In New Zealand it is also known by the Maori name Taranui.

The Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution breeding in temperate and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and east and central North America. It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. It is sometimes known as the sea swallow. The term "Commic Tern" refers to birds which are not seen well enough to positively determined if they are Common or Arctic Terns.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Green Kingfisher, Chloroceryle americana, is a resident breeding bird which occurs from southern Texas in the USA south through Central and South Americal to central Argentina.

This small kingfisher breeds by streams in forests or mangroves. The nest is in a horizontal tunnel up to a metre long made in a river bank. The female lays three, sometimes four, eggs.

The Green Kingfisher is 19 centimetres (7.5 in) long and weighs 27 grams (0.95 oz). It has the typical kingfisher shape, with a short tail and long bill. It is oily green above, with white markings on the wings and tail, and a white collar around the neck.

Males have white underparts apart from a broad chestnut breast band and some green spotting on the flanks. Females have buff-white underparts with two green chest bands, the lower of which links to the green spotting along the sides of the belly.

Green Kingfishers are often seen perched on a low shaded branch close to water before plunging in head first after their fish prey. They also eat aquatic insects. These birds often give a pebbly rattling call.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Snail Kite, Rostrhamus sociabilis, is a bird of prey within the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures. Its relative, the Slender-billed Kite, is now again placed in Helicolestes, making the genus Rostrhamus monotypic. Usually placed in the milvine kites, the validity of that group is under investigation.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Crested Oropendola, Psarocolius decumanus, is a New World tropical icterid bird. It is a resident breeder in lowland South America east of the Andes, from Panama and Colombia south to northern Argentina, as well as on Trinidad and Tobago. If the genus Gymnostinax for the Montezuma Oropendola and its closest relatives were considered valid, this species would probably belong in that genus (Price & Lanyon 2002).

It is a common bird, seen alone or in small flocks foraging in trees for large insects, fruit and some nectar. The male is 46 cm long and weighs 300g; the smaller female is 37 cm long and weighs 180g.

The plumage of the Crested Oropendola has a musty smell due to the oil from the preen gland.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Green Heron (Butorides virescens) is a small heron of North and Central America. It was long considered conspecific with its sister species theStriated Heron (Butorides striata), and together they were called "Green-backed Heron". Birds of the nominate subspecies (no matter which taxonomicarrangement is preferred) are extremely rare vagrants to western Europe; individuals from the Pacific coast of North America may similarly stray as far as Hawaii.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Clay-colored Thrush (Turdus grayi) is a common Middle American bird of the thrush family (Turdidae). It is the national bird of Costa Rica, where it is well known as the yigüirro. It was formerly known as the Clay-colored Robin.

It ranges from South Texas (where it is rapidly expanding its range) to northern Colombia; west and north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. It is limited to the Atlantic slope, except for a population around Oaxaca City that probably originates from escaped cagebirds.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Great Kiskadee, Pitangus sulphuratus, is a passerine bird. It is a large tyrant flycatcher sometimes its genus Pitangus is considered monotypic, with the Lesser Kiskadee (P. lictor) separated in Philohydor.

It breeds in open woodland with some tall trees, including cultivation and around human habitation, from southern Texas and Mexico south to Uruguay and central Argentina, and on Trinidad. It was introduced to Bermuda in 1957, and to Tobago in about 1970.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Great Egret (Ardea alba), also known as the Great White Egret or Common Egret or (now not in use) Great White Heron, is a large, widely-distributed egret. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, in southern Europe it is rather localized. In North America it is more widely distributed, and it is ubiquitous across the Sun Belt of the United States and in the rainforests of South America. It is sometimes confused with the Great White Heron in Florida, which is a white morph of the closely related Great Blue Heron (A. herodias). Note, however, that the name Great White Heron has occasionally been used to refer to the Great Egret.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

Moorhens, sometimes called marsh hens, are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genusGallinula. They are close relatives of coots, and because of their apparently nervous behavior (frequently twitching tail, neck and grinding their backs) are sometimes called "skitty coots". Often, they are referred to as (black) gallinules.

A few species from the Australian region, sometimes separated in Tribonyx, are called native-hens. Tribonyx is better considered a subgenus however as the differences are not very striking and mainly plesiomorphic. The native-hens differ visually by shorter, thicker and stubbier toes and bills, and longer tails that lack the white signal pattern of typical moorhens.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

Vultures are scavenging birds, feeding mostly on the carcasses of dead animals. Vultures are found on every continent except Antarctica.

Although feeding largely on meat (as opposed to insects and small reptiles), vultures do not generally kill their own prey, which would classify them clearly as a raptor. Because of this, historically they have alternated between being classified as a raptor or as a non-raptor, and have been the subject of extensive DNA testing to test relationships with other birds.

A particular characteristic of many vultures is a bald head, devoid of feathers. This helps to keep the head clean when feeding. Research has shown that the bare skin may play an important role in thermoregulation.

A group of vultures is called a wake, committee, or venue. The word Geier (taken from the Germa language) does not have a precise meaning inornithology, and it is occasionally used to refer to a vulture in English, as in some poetry.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is the one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across much ofsubarctic North America, Europe and Asia as far south as Scotland.

This is a migratory species wintering on coasts in Africa, South America, south Asia into Australasia and southern North America. It is also a coastal bird during migration. It is fairly gregarious outside the breeding season.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Black-bellied Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis), formerly also called Black-bellied Tree Duck, is a whistling-duck that breeds from the southernmost United States and tropical Central to south-central South America. In the USA, it can be found year-round in parts of southeast Texas, and seasonally in southeast Arizona, and Louisiana's Gulf Coast. It is a rare breeder in such disparate locations as Florida, Arkansas, Georgia and South Carolina.

It is widely known as pijije (also pixixi or pichichi), chiriría or sirirí in Latin America, though this can also refer to other whistling-ducks and a qualifyer such as ala blanca or aliblanco ("white-winged") is usually added to signify this species. In Mexico, it is also called pato maízal ("cornfield duck") due to its habit of visiting such fields after harvest. And since it is one of only two whistling-duck species native to North America, it is occasionally just known as the "whistling duck" in the southern USA.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

The Sanderling (Calidris alba, syn. Crocethia alba or Erolia alba) is a small wader. It is a circumpolar Arctic breeder, and is a long-distance migrant, wintering south to South America, South Europe, Africa, and Australia. It is highly gregarious in winter, sometimes forming large flocks on coastal mudflats or sandy beaches.

It is somewhat unlike other sandpipers in appearance, which has led to the suggestion that it should be placed into a monotypic genus Crocethia. A more recent review (Thomas et al., 2004) indicates, however, that the sanderling is a fairly typical "stint" or small sandpiper and should be separated from the large knots with its closest relatives in a distinct genus.

This bird is similar in size to a Dunlin, but stouter, with a thick bill. It shows a strong white wingbar in flight, and runs along the sandy beaches it prefers with a characteristic "bicycling" action, stopping frequently to pick small food items. It eats small crabs and other small invertebrates. In spring, birds migrating north from South America consume large numbers of horseshoe crab eggs in the Delaware Bay area.

In spring, the birds arrive on the High Arctic breeding grounds (see map), where they lay 3–4 eggs in a ground scrape. On the nesting grounds, these birds mainly eat insects and some plant material.

The Sanderling is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/