Gray-capped Tyrannulet

Large songbird of New Guinea and Solomon Islands, also on Boigu Island in the northern Torres Strait. Adult glossy black with strong metallic green/blue sheen and bright red eye. Tail has blunt square tip. Juvenile brown above, pale below, with heavy short brown streaks. Compare Spangled Drongo, which has heavy, flared, forked tail, and Metallic Starling, which has long, tapered, pointed tail.

Large, hefty duck that has wild and domestic types. Wild birds are dark blackish overall with iridescent green and bronze, especially on the wings. Look for bold white wing patches in flight and red warts on the face (more extensive on males). Tends to be shy and most often seen in flight over extensive wetlands or along large rivers. Occurs extensively throughout Middle and South America, but typically scarce. Very restricted range in the U.S., only known from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Domestic birds, on the other hand, are regularly found walking around in parks and farms, looking for scraps of food and chasing native waterfowl. Plumage varies from all white to all black, typically with more extensive red warts on the face than wild birds. There is a well-established feral population in Florida, with smaller domestic populations spread across the globe.

A relatively large plain brown reed warbler with a pale throat, a yellowish face, a darker cap and tail, and an absurdly long decurved bill. Found in areas of tall dense grasses, reed marshes, and scrubby thickets up to 400 meters of elevation. Song is a slow, loud reel of whistles, warbles, harsh “chak” notes, and trills. Call is a loud, offensive “tchak.” Often sings at night.