Malaysian Plover

Fairly common locally on lakes with surrounding reeds and wetlands with open water; spends much time sleeping. The lowland counterpart to the very similar Andean Duck; the two species may occur together in a few places, but Andean Duck is rare in lowlands, where Lake Duck is the default species. Lake Duck has a squarer head and a slightly longer tail than Andean Duck, but male plumages are very similar. Female Lake Duck often has more contrasting and paler markings with pale barring on sides and bolder stripes on the face than Andean Duck.

Breeds in New Zealand and ranges across the temperate South Pacific to the Humboldt Current; uncommon off Chile and Peru. All ages have thick black leading edge on the underwing, wider than the narrower black edge on larger Salvin’s and Chatham Albatrosses, and narrower than on stockier Gray-headed Albatross, a bird of cold subantarctic waters. Adult Buller’s has gray hood with silvery white crown and thick yellow edges on black bill. First-year birds have a paler gray hood, a pale bill with black “seam lines,” and black subterminal band; mostly like adult in 3 years. Compare with immature of larger Salvin’s Albatross.

A robust, chocolate-backed forest skulker with clean-cut pale underparts washed gray, and a distinctive white throat and outer tail tips. Singles and pairs are shy and inconspicuous residents in the dense under-story of mid-altitude forest, between 700–1900m. May follow army-ant swarms, where it loses its fear of humans. Calls a loud downslurred quavering “tiiyuuu” and harsh chitter in alarm. Similar White-chested Alethe differs from Cholo by having gray (not brown) face and rufous tail lacking white.