Rufous-webbed Brilliant

Medium-sized, rather nondescript raptor with overall dark plumage. Varies considerably across range, but always note tail fork (can disappear when tail is fully open), and short head and neck. Juvenile averages paler and more contrastingly-marked. Flight style buoyant, gliding and changing direction with ease. Frequently forages in urban areas, rubbish dumps, aquatic habitats, and grassland, but usually avoids heavily forested areas. Sometimes solitary, but also gathers in large flocks on migration and at good feeding areas.

A small and colorful flycatcher with olive-yellow upperparts and yellow underparts. Found in lowland forest, mostly in the canopy. Often joins mixed-species flocks. Somewhat similar to yellow-warblers, but much smaller and found in different habitats. Similar to Livingstone’s Flycatcher, but there is very little overlap in range, and can easily be separated by the olive-green rather than rufous tail. Vocalizes frequently, giving high-pitched, chittering calls and a quick whistled song. 

Bulky cold-brown seabird with white wing flashes. Usually seen singly in strong and direct flight, sometimes resting on the ocean with rafts of shearwaters. Chases gulls, large shearwaters, and even boobies, forcing them to regurgitate their food. Plumage overall rather plain, dark gray-brown, suggesting a muscular immature gull but with big white wing flashes, like the smaller, more lightly built jaegers. Often shows a pale blaze across the nape. Some birds have very pale blonde head and body. Breeds in Antarctica, further south than almost any other species of bird. Ranges across all oceans, mainly from March to October, typically staying offshore and very rarely seen from land. Compare with other skua species. In North Atlantic, Great Skua is warmer-toned, has a more capped or hooded appearance, and adults have golden spangles on upperparts. Separation from Brown Skua in Southern Hemisphere is more problematic; there are multiple populations of Brown Skuas and hybrids with South Polar are quite frequent! South Polar averages smaller-billed and slightly less bulky than Brown, and never has bold streaks or spangles on upperparts, but many birds are best left unidentified.