Great Kiskadee

Scientific Name: Pitangus sulphuratus

Population Estimate: >10M

Range / Habitat: Widespread in open and semi-open areas from both slopes of Mexico, through Central America, and into most of South America.

Field Notes: Classic tyrant-flycatcher in behavior. Color pattern, though striking, is nearly identical to the sympatric Social Flycatcher (which is notably smaller) and Boat-billed Flycatcher (roughly the same size, though prefers forest habitat). Great Kiskadee is also distinguished by the raucous kiss-k-DEE call and rufous wing. The other two are uniformly olive on wings and back.

Personal Notes:

Wheatear

Scientific Name: Oenanthe oenanthe

Order: Passeriformes

Population Estimate: 20M-100M

Location of Sighting: Iceland

Date of Sighting: August, 2009

Notes: Small, lively bird with yellowish throat and black eye stripe. Solitary and found almost exclusively flitting around lava fields and other barren habitats.

Eastern Phoebe

Scientific Name: Sayornis phoebe

Population Estimate: 16M, Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Nests close to people throughout eastern US and up into much of Canada. Winters around the Gulf of Mexico and into central Mexico. Preferred habitat is open woods. 

Field Notes: Medium-sized flycatcher. Dark head, black bill, no eye markings (to distinguish from most Empidonax flycatchers), no white wing bars (to distinguish from Eastern Wood-Pewee), longish tail which it moves in a characteristic circular pattern while perching. Emphatic "phee-bee" call.

Personal Notes: