Cuban Vireo

A typical Old World cuckoo, with gray-and-white plumage and long wings and tail. A brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of many other bird species. Breeds throughout Madagascar in virtually all habitats with woody vegetation. Extremely vocal when breeding during the rainy season, giving a distinctive “do-do-ka-foo” song day and night. Easily identified on Madagascar, where it is the only regularly occurring cuckoo. Elsewhere, extremely similar to Lesser Cuckoo. Many individuals probably indistinguishable, though Madagascar Cuckoo has either weak barring or no barring on the undertail, whereas Lesser Cuckoo always shows strong barring. Similar to Common and African Cuckoos, but smaller, with a much blacker tail and rump. 

Large, strongly marked quail with pale breast/belly with heavy dark streaks. Note bold pale eyebrow. Male has orange throat contrasting with blackish breast. Typically found in drier grasslands. As a flushed bird descends to land, it often slows down in flight before dropping into cover; look carefully for a pale patch on the leading-edge of the wing as it drops.

Small brownish owl with dark ‘glasses’ surrounding eyes. Fairly common in a wide variety of habitats on Tasmania. Similar to Southern Boobook, and range overlaps in southern Victoria during the winter; Tasmanian Boobook is smaller, darker, and has more extensive spotting and a different voice. Call is a familiar ‘boo-book’ with the second note lower pitched than the first, higher-pitched and smoother than Southern Boobook.