Royal Spoonbill

Incredibly elusive ground bird, restricted to a tiny range in southern Western Australia, where it inhabits dense forests with heavy understory and abundant leaf litter. Nondescript plumage, mostly brown above, olive-brown below, with pale throat and fine dark vermiculation in wings, back, and flanks. Adult male has some black markings in lower throat and upper breast. More likely to be heard than seen. Most easily distinguished from Western Bristlebird by call. Male’s loud, diverse song repertoire includes long sequences of sharp, clear, musical notes.

A small acrobatic swiftlet, often in large swirling flocks above fields, forests, and settlements. Dark brown above, washed-out gray-brown below; all but identical for the most part to many other swiftlets in range. Rump is marginally paler than Himalayan, Black-nest, and Mossy-nest swiftlets, but not white, as in House Swift. Most reliably identified while on the nest, a pale gelatinous bowl in a cave or crevice. Often nests in large colonies with other swiftlet species. Gives buzzy trills in flight.

Common large duck of lakes, ponds, wet fields, and estuaries. Dark brown overall, with a pale head marked by a whitish eyebrow and two black stripes on the face. Namesake yellow bill spot is visible even from a good distance. White underwings contrast strongly with dark body in flight. Highly adaptable and quite tame, foraging in city parks and small ponds close to human settlements.