Buru Cuckooshrike

Large, lanky blackbird with flat crown and long tail. Males have ridiculously long tails, almost as long as their body, often held in a V-shape. Males are glossy black. Females are brown with paler eyebrow and throat. Eyes yellow to white; dusky for immatures. In coastal Texas, where its range overlaps with Boat-tailed Grackle, note habitat (more generalized as opposed to strictly saltmarsh) and pale eye (not brown).

Large, turkey-like bird found only in the forests of northern Trinidad. It is black with white patches on the wings and crown, a light blue face, and an azure dewlap (flap of bare skin) that dangles from its throat. It is usually seen high in the trees, but on rare occasions can descend to the ground. Song is a series of drawn out, rising whistles, and it also sometimes rattles its wings loudly in flight. Locally known as “pawi”, this impressive bird is highly endangered due to hunting, and is regularly seen in only a few places, such as near the town of Grand Riviere.

A dumpy, partridge-like bird with an obvious crest and powerful legs and feet. Uniform reddish-brown with dull orange legs. Immatures buffier, with blackish legs. Terrestrial. Found in pairs or small groups mostly within lowland forest and coastal scrub. Restricted to Sula and Banggai islands, where no other megapodes or similar birds occur. Call is an explosive “KYER-OW-Kyer”, starting strongly and becoming less powerful at the end. Sometimes includes some bubbling notes.