Yucatan Mexico Flashcards
Ruddy Crake
Mangrove Cuckoo
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Extremely similar to other Myiarchus flycatchers and most easily identified by voice: listen for the plaintive, sad “wheer” call. Also note relatively dark crown, slender bill, fairly bright yellow belly, and rufous edges on secondaries.
Mangrove Swallow
Yucatan Nightjar
Wilson’s Plover
(nonbreeding/immature)
Bright-rumped Attila
Zenaida Dove
Note: white trailing edge to wing and squared off tail
Black-cowled Oriole
Note: small, slightly decurved bill
Greenish Elaenia
does not flick its wings and tail, unlike many small flycatchers
identified by a combination of the lack of pale wingbars, a narrow whitish eyebrow, and the small, overall dark bill
Gray-crowned Yellowthroat
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Gray-breasted Martin
Like female PUMA, but lacks pale forehead and pale hindcollar of female Purple Martin.
Snowy Plover
Note: Piping Plover does not go as far south as Cozumel
Least Tern
Short-tailed Hawk
Most similar to Broad-winged Hawk, which is never clean white below.
Bat Falcon
Smaller than Peregrine.
Laughing and Aplomado also present on Cozumel
With a good view, note the rusty belly and ‘trousers.’ Hunts bats at dusk, but main food is small birds caught in flight.
Similar to Aplomado, but has dark belly (vs. “vest” and rusty belly)
Blue-black Grassquit
Note the very small size, brown plumage, and streaky breast, plus the pointed conical bill.
Northern Potoo
At night in a flashlight beam, eyes reflect like brilliant amber coals (nightjar eyes are duller and owl eyes have a dull reflection and are rarely visible)
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Can be difficult to distinguish from Buff-bellied Hummingbird, which favors drier habitats. Rufous-tailed has a dingier, grayish belly and more extensive rusty on the tail, which lacks the distinct fork often shown by Buff-bellied’s tail.
Russet-naped Wood-Rail
Gull-billed Tern
Medium-sized tern with thick black bill. Very pale overall with black cap in breeding plumage. Legs black. Nonbreeding plumage shows dark cheek patch.
Lesser Nighthawk
Common Pauraque
