New Caledonian Whistler

Small round songbird of dense mangrove areas, particularly the large stilt-rooted mangroves. White below, dark gray above, with blackish wings and white patches on sides of black tail. Distinctive species, much more rotund than other white-chinned bird species in this habitat (e.g., female Shining Flycatcher). Voice is a plaintive, slow, whistled note, usually repeated.

Long, curved bill. Adults mostly dark with iridescent green and reddish tones. Very thin white border surrounding the dark facial skin. Dark eyes. Usually gregarious, it is found mainly in salty marshes and shallow wetlands. Unmistakable in most of its range, though American birds are best distinguished from White-faced Ibis by distribution and facial pattern.

A large weaver with a long, thin pointed bill. The male has a pale eye, and during the breeding season a brownish wash to the face. The female has a brown eye and an olive-brown belly. The species occupies open country, where it often breeds in mixed-species colonies over water or in large isolated trees. The chattering and rasping song is long and complex. The smaller Southern Brown-throated Weaver has a chunkier bill than Cape Weaver; its male has a better defined brown throat and its female has a white belly. African Golden-Weaver has reddish eyes, and Holub’s Golden-Weaver has an unstreaked yellowish back.