Talaud Rail

Dark brown foliage-gleaner of mature rainforest understory. Warm dark brown body, with a clean whitish throat patch and reddish brown tail. Does not have prominent reddish brown in the wings like many other foliage-gleaners do; the clean whitish throat, plain face (without a strong eyebrow) and habit of foraging low are other good distinguishing features to tell it apart from other foliage-gleaners. Primarily found in the understory of mature rainforest. Listen for its song, a musical trill with stuttered introductory note, “ch-trrrrrrrr”, similar to that of Chestnut-crowned Foliage-gleaner from denser secondary growth habitats, but slightly lower and with a more distinct introductory note.

Spectacular and conspicuous black-and-yellow bird of tropical lowlands in west Mexico. Favors deciduous forest and edges, plantations, and hedges with tall trees; often in towns and villages, especially near streams and rivers. Usually in flocks, moving through the canopy to feed at flowering and fruiting trees, but also feeds readily on the ground; often associates with flocks of jays. No similar species in range. Note the raised crest that flares up like a floppy fountain spray.

Large scoter with distinctive white patch on wing. Males are black and have small white mark under eye, dark knob on the bill, and red-and-orange bill tip. Females are dark chocolate-brown and have two rounded white patches on face. Extremely similar to White-winged Scoter: note male’s much more angular head structure with steeper and more prominent protuberance and different bill coloration. Female is much more difficult to identify, but has more swollen-looking protuberance. Breeds in Russian tundra and taiga pools and lakes, winters on the coast; only very occasionally reported inland in the winter.