Rufous-backed Fantail

A finch-billed Hawaiian honeycreeper endemic to the island of Nihoa; does not occur on the main Hawaiian Islands. Unlikely to be confused with any other species; the only other passerine bird on Nihoa is the Millerbird, which lacks the Nihoa Finch’s heavy bill. Males have a bright yellow head and breast. Females are paler yellow and heavily streaked on the back. Common throughout the island.

A mysterious and range-restricted thrush the color of rich caramel. Dark brown above with densely black-scaled underparts, white eye-ring, and uniform upperparts. Extremely similar to Sichuan and Alpine Thrushes; averages darker above, heavier-billed, and stockier-looking. Breeds in eastern Himalayan forests at around 3000-4000 meters; winters down to around 1450 meters. Gives a typical ringing, melodic thrush song.

Handsome blue-and-black jay of tropical forests, woodlands, and gardens endemic to west Mexico. Usually in small groups, which can be noisy and conspicuous or very quiet and easily overlooked; often with Yellow-winged Caciques. Around the town of San Blas (in Nayarit, Mexico), appreciably larger Purplish-backed Jay occurs at southern end of its range (and northern end of San Blas Jay’s range). Purplish-backed is deep purplish blue on back and tail, not strikingly two-toned blue-and-black like San Blas Jay, and has bright yellow legs. Voices also very different. Purplish-backed occurs in mangroves and adjacent woodlands in and around town while San Blas Jay occurs in foothill forest of coffee plantations south of town.