Socotra Sparrow

A medium-sized brown owl with a rounded head. Note the rufous underparts, clear white eyebrows, and striking yellow eyes. Upperparts chocolate-brown with bold white spots on the wings. Found in understory in lowland and foothill forest, roosting in the day in pairs or small groups within tangled thickets. Occurs at lower elevations than Cinnabar Boobook, and differs in its white eyebrows and brown upperparts. Gives a strident growling song, “woo-wooOW,” with a longer, louder second note. Also gives a single frog-like “grrrrow.”

A small warbler with a dark cap and eye-stripe and a yellow eyebrow. Strongly yellow below, dark chestnut brown above. Bill and legs pale. Found in mossy forest above 1200 meters of elevation. Very similar to Island Leaf Warbler, but yellowish rather than light gray below, with pale bill and legs. Song a tinkling warble, but more commonly heard giving quiet “tzik” call.

Large rusty brown and black duck with extensive white in wings. Female has white around eye and bill, while male has an all-black head. Often found around coastal marshland and surrounding pasture, but also in drier areas in small groups around small farm dams. Usual range is southern Australia (both east and west), but occasional records from farther north.