Nightingale Island Finch

A small dark-brown shearwater with a white belly and a dusky patch under its wings along with dark markings on the inner wing visible during flight. A brown cap expands over the eye and runs down the back of the neck, blurring into the white chin and breast. Name is derived from distinctive low and fast “fluttering” flight with rapid bursts of wingbeats. Often seen feeding in flocks off the northern and eastern North Island and in the Cook Strait region. Easily confused with Hutton’s Shearwater where habitats overlap on the Cook Strait. Hutton’s is slightly larger with little white showing on the chin and more extensive gray armpit smudging. Little Shearwater also occurs in northern waters but is smaller, with white extending through or above the eye.

Large brushfinch with a rusty crown found in the Andes of northwestern Peru and southwestern Ecuador. Similar to White-winged Brushfinch, but lacks white in the wing and has a cleaner, blacker face. Distinguished from Rusty-bellied Brushfinch by the rusty (not black) crown and gray (not buffy) belly. Inhabits scrub and scraggly forest with short trees, avoiding taller and denser forest. Usually encountered in pairs that move furtively from tree to tree.

A beautiful and colorful grosbeak-like bird with slate gray upperparts, black mask and bill, immaculate white eyebrow and throat, and rich salmon-buff underparts. Sexes similar. Fairly common, in pairs or small groups foraging for fruits and flowers, as well as insects. Mostly in dry regions with bushes and scattered trees, gallery forest edges and savanna. Loud and melodic song with three variants, often given in duet. Found only in Colombia and Venezuela.