masked tityra

The masked tityra is one of three species of tropical American birds belonging to the genus Tityra within the cotinga family. This bird is found in wooded areas and open country, ranging from Mexico down to Bolivia and Brazil.1

Males of the masked tityra are approximately 8 inches long, with pale gray bodies and black markings on their heads, wings, and tails. Females share a similar appearance but have a browner coloration. These birds possess a stout, slightly hooked bill and are known to make froglike sounds. They build nests in tree cavities, sometimes taking over holes previously used by woodpeckers or toucans by stuffing leaves into them until the original occupants abandon the site.1