Turquoise Dacnis

Tiny, unique songbird with a sharply pointed bill. Mostly plain gray with a yellow head. Small rufous patch on shoulders is sometimes visible. Juveniles lack the yellow head; note bill shape to help separate from Lucy's Warbler or Bushtit. Forages solo or in pairs in scrubby arid habitats, especially mesquite. Occasionally visits hummingbird feeders for nectar; primarily feeds on insects.

Medium-sized crested penguin, endemic to New Zealand. Note the distinct broad yellow eyebrow rising over the eye to form a stiff brush-like crest. Also look for pale blue skin at the base of the bill. A subantarctic breeder, with main colonies on Bounty and Antipodes Islands. Disperses widely at the end of breeding season. A small number molt on the east coast of the North and South Islands in the fall. Forms small groups at sea. Voice a low-pitched booming bray. Distinguished from Snares and Fiordland Penguins by pale white-blue skin at bill base and less “V-shaped” crest when seen head-on.

A secretive, but not shy, inhabitant of dense thickets in a wide variety of habitats from wet forests to dry scrublands and gardens. Dark gray to black body combined with an orange-red eyebrow, throat, and vent are unique within its range. It is often heard before seen. Song is an unimpressive series of high-pitched “zit” or “seet” notes, sometimes followed by high thin buzz. Call similar to individual notes from song.