Passerines on the Plainer Side Flashcards
What bird is this?
Tropical Mockingbird
Silvery-gray above and whitish below, with a long black tail. They have white stripes above their eye, long dark legs, and a slim, black beak with a slight downward curve.
Tropical Mockingbirds in northern Colombia occupy farmland, scrublands, savanna, and parks. They prefer open habitats and avoid dense forests and mangroves. This species typically forages on the ground or in low vegetation; however, they may also perch and fly to catch insects like swarming termites.
What bird is this?
Eared Dove
South America’s most widespread and abundant dove, found from sea level up to 4,000 m. Appearance much like Mourning Dove of North America: pale grayish-brown overall with iridescent patch on neck, black spots on wing and neck, and reddish legs. Larger than ground-doves; more slender than Leptotila doves and with black wing spots. Found in open and disturbed habitats including agricultural fields, towns and cities, and shrubby areas. Often gathers in flocks.
What bird is this?
Eared Dove
Adult males have olive-brown upper parts, reddish underparts, and cinnamon-tipped tails. The female is duller than the male. Both sexes have a black bill, dark red legs, and a long wedge-shaped tail.
Eared Doves prefer open, disturbed habitats such as agricultural areas, towns, and cities. Look for them on telephone wires and posts and feeding near coastal resorts.
What bird is this?
Ruddy Ground Dove
Small, well-named ruddy dove of humid open and semi-open areas, often in villages and even towns, where sometimes perches on wires. Often in groups, sometimes even a hundred birds, which flush explosively from underfoot. Male is ruddy overall; female is plain grayish brown overall, lacking scaly breast of slightly smaller Common Ground Dove. Like other ground doves, both sexes of Ruddy show bright rusty wing patches in flight.
What birds are these?
Ruddy Ground Dove
Look for Ruddy Ground Doves in humid habitats with plenty of open space. They often frequent wet areas like marshes.
What bird is this?
Great Thrush
Plumage is black to grayish-brown. They have an orange bill and yellow-orange legs. Males have an orange eye ring.
Great Thrushes prefer open habitats in highlands between 6,500 and 13,000 feet above sea level. Populations are sedentary, meaning they do not migrate. They adapt easily to humans, meaning it’s common to see these dark gray birds in Colombia in cities and towns.
