Lavender Waxbill

Large hummingbird with limited range on west slope of Andes from central Colombia to northwest Ecuador. Distinctive in range. Overall bronzy-greenish with blue throat. Very long, straight bill with rufous patch on face. Look for bold white flashes in tail, especially visible in flight. Overall dark coloration and white in tail could be confused with Velvet-purple Coronet, but note larger size, longer bill, and blue restricted to throat. Uncommon; occasionally visits feeders but equally likely to be found within forest, especially around streams and waterfalls. Occurs from around 1,100 to 2,000 m.

Distinctive brownish flycatcher found in Borneo’s central and southeastern highland forests. Brown above and gray below, with a warm coffee-brown face and eye-catching white eyebrows and throat patch. Also note warm rufous tones in the wings and tail. Forages close to or on the ground, often with mixed-species flocks. Can be quite tame and allow close approach. Gives a bubby rattling trill when alarmed.

A compact raptor endemic to New Zealand, with streaky cream-and-brown breast and reddish-brown undertail. In flight, note rapid beating of long pointed wings, and long rounded tail shape while gliding. Females are much larger than males. Widely distributed throughout New Zealand in native and exotic forest, as well as in tussock grassland and farmland. Will aggressively dive-bomb intruders close to nesting sites. Distinctive “kek-kek-kek” call given during attacks. Similar to Swamp Harrier but smaller; rarely feeds on road kill, actively chases prey, and glides with wings set flat rather than a shallow “V” shape like the Swamp Harrier.