Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot

Well-named, the common roadside hawk in tropical lowlands of East Mexico and Central and South America. Often seen on wires, phone poles, posts out in fields. Adult has staring pale eyes, streaked breast contrasting with barred belly. Immature streaked below, much like many other immature hawks, but its tail has broad and fairly even bands. Flies with rather quick, stiff wingbeats, recalling a Red-shouldered Hawk or an Accipiter; noisy flight display mainly in late winter-spring.

A small, slender-billed, mostly slate-gray cuckooshrike that shows extensive pale edgings on the wing feathers. Male has a black face and throat, while on females, black is limited to the area between the bill and eye. Singles, pairs, or groups can be found in wooded areas, plantations, and scrub from sea level to foothills. Confined to the Sula Islands. Smaller and more slender-billed than Slaty and Black-faced Cuckooshrikes. Male is darker overall than Black-faced Cuckooshrike, with no white tail tip and a less distinct black face mask, and black does not extend onto breast. Gives an upslurred nasal “whirrt” as well as “pik” notes.

A medium-sized songbird endemic to New Zealand, confined to predator-free offshore islands and South Island mainland sanctuaries. Glossy black plumage with distinct chestnut saddle across the back, which gives the bird its name. Note the bright reddish-orange wattles on either side of the bill. Juveniles have smaller wattles and are chocolate brown for their first year. Listen for distinct calls resembling a blaring “cheeet ta-chet ta-chet ta-chet” sound. Constantly moves noisily as it restlessly forages on the floor and through the canopy. Flicks over leaves and digs into rotting logs with its strong bill in search of invertebrates. Distinguished from Eurasian Blackbird by chestnut saddle and wattles.