Tanimbar Eclectus

A small, dainty bee-eater of open woodlands, farmland, and sparse human habitation. Mainly green with a bluish throat, slender black eye mask and throat band, rufous or slightly rusty crown and back of the neck, and central tail streamers. Juveniles are duller than adults and lack the long tail feathers. In flight, note the rusty underwing with a black trailing edge. Flies gracefully as it catches insects and other prey. Calls are a series of gentle liquid trills or more staccato notes.

A striking finch with a black hood, light brown collar, extensively barred white underside, and pale barred rump. Juveniles duller, brown above and buffy below, lacking bars. Singles to small groups inhabit open country in lowlands and foothills, including croplands, scrub, grassy areas, and woodland edge. Terrestrial, but perches in trees and bushes too. Adult differs from Scaly-breasted Munia in black hood and pale rump. Juvenile has a smaller bill than immature Five-colored Munia. Gives high-pitched, buzzy “krrit” calls, like a tiny tin horn.

A very distinctive, short-tailed eagle. Young birds are uniformly dark brown, and adults are mostly black with a bright red face and legs. Sexes differ, especially in flight, and can be told by the width of the black band on the back edge of the white underwing: narrow in females, broad in males. It flies low when foraging, with wings lifted above the body and rocking from left to right in an unstable-looking fashion. Bateleurs hunt small animals and eat carrion, and they are often among the first raptors to arrive at a carcass.