great kiskadee

Great Kiskadee

I saw many of these beautiful birds in Mexico and all over Central and South America. I love hearing their distinctive song throughout the jungle.

This is, after all, what so special about the Rio Grande Valley - that it's the northernmost limit for quite a few species normally thought of as South American, while also getting pretty much all the North American birds either as resident breeders or passing through. Too bad about the branches...

Seen in the grounds of the Punta Leona Hotel, Costa Rica.

All around resort

This Kiskadee was busy looking for insects in the sea weed washed up on beach. It was a nightmare to separate from other very similar looking birds.

Great Kiskadee, Estero Llano State Park, Westlaco, TX.

Taken in Rio De Janeiro in April 2017

A common species with a large distribution area, but not that easy to get a decent picture of. Fighting a bit with the shadow here, but one can actually see a bit of yellow on the bird's head, which is something usually hidden.

Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus subsp. texanus) Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, Harlingen, Cameron County, Texas, USA. Mesquite thicket with Tamaulipan Scrub within the South Texas Plains Vegetational Area at ca. 11 m (36 ft) elevation.

Pitangus sulphuratus (Linnaeus, 1766) Great Kiskadee

Common in Lodge gardens.

Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus subsp. maximiliani) Sexes similar. South Wild, south of Pocon, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Riverine with cerrado vegetation adjacent to the Pixaim River with interspersed wetlands at ca. 128 m (420 ft) elevation.

Yet another cooperative kiskadee |=)|

We saw great kiskadees all along our journey, and often posing quite cooperatively.

I think this was one of those moments we've all had: The picture all lined up, juuuust tweeking the focus, and the moment you push the shutter button ... the bird takes off ;)

Same kiskadee, still showing his crown, but now casually "draping" himself over his perch ... and sitting so still I think a spider has begun spinning a web anchored to him ;)

This one Great Kiskadee was showing his golden crown. I got several pictures of him, of which this was the first. I think the two others I'm thinking of posting were even better shots.