Identification
A small but stout woodland species often found hovering beneath the canopy while snapping up insects or fruit. Note the male’s all blackish plumage. The only similar bird in its range is the Jamaican Blackbird, but the Jamaican Blackbird has a slimmer bill and it is typically found probing in vegetation rather than flycatching like the becard. Females and immatures are dark brown above and pale below, often with buff on throat. Females and immatures could be mistaken for Stolid, Sad, or Rufous-tailed Flycatchers, however, these flycatchers have grayish (not buff) throats and yellowish on the belly that female and immature becards lack. Song is a staccato squeaky twitter typically followed by a drawn out “tweeeee.” Call is a sharp but squeaky “peep.”