Flesh-footed Shearwater
Ardenna carneipes
Entirely the color of dark chocolate with a dark-tipped pink bill. Fairly large; similar in size and shape to Pink-footed Shearwater. Shorter-tailed and stockier than dark-morph Wedge-tailed Shearwater (which usually has dark bill). Also compare with dark Procellaria petrels such as Parkinson’s; note overall shape and differences in bill shape and pattern. Namesake foot color is difficult to see in normal field conditions. Fairly common over much of Pacific and Indian oceans; uncommon to rare off west coast of North America. Can be seen alone or with feeding congregations of other shearwaters. Breeds on islands off the coast of southern Australia and northern New Zealand. Not likely to be seen from land; stays further offshore.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Ardenna carneipes
- Authority
- (Gould, 1844)
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Genus
- Ardenna
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- PO, IO : islets off St. Paul (c Indian Ocean), sw, s Australia, Lord Howe I. (e of Australia), North I. and Cook Strait (New Zealand)
- Non-breeding range
- to Arabian Sea, e Malagasy region, n Pacific e of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk to Gulf of Alaska and w USA coast (rare)
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Glyphorynchus spirurus
Very small woodcreeper of evergreen forest in humid tropical lowlands and foothills. Creeps up trunks, often in spirals, picking at the bark for food, then flies low to another tree before hitching upwards again. Forages on fairly large trunks as well as slender trees. Often travels with mixed-species feeding flocks. Note the short, wedge-shaped bill and pale buffy breast spotting.
East Andean Antbird
Drymophila caudata
Slender, long-tailed antbird restricted to Colombia’s eastern Andes. Note the profuse streaking on foreparts and the orange belly and rump. Male’s streaks are darker and more contrasting than female’s. Similar to Klages's Antbird (little or no overlap), but central underparts are streaked instead of plain. Also very similar to Streak-headed Antbird and Santa Marta Antbird, but no range overlap. Inhabits bamboo thickets in cloud forest. Song consists of a few clucking notes followed by several rasps.
Red-naped Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus nuchalis
Striking medium-sized woodpecker of western North America. Long, solid white wing patch helps distinguish it from Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. Adult male has red cap and throat; females are similar but with white chin; juveniles are messy brownish-gray overall. The namesake red nape is just a small patch and can be difficult to see. Compare with the extremely similar Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, which barely overlaps in range. Note male Red-naped has a more extensive red throat patch with a narrow, broken black border, and the white markings on the back are less extensive and loosely organized into two rows. Head pattern usually separates it from Red-breasted Sapsucker, but beware some hybrids occur. Breeds in montane forest, often with aspens or willows. Descends to lower elevations in winter; occurs in a variety of woodland habitats from the southwestern U.S. to central Mexico. Like other sapsuckers, drills rows of sap wells into tree bark. Listen for irregular drumming (like morse code) and various nasal calls.
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