Tahiti Swallow

Common large duck of lakes, ponds, wet fields, and estuaries. Dark brown overall, with a pale head marked by a whitish eyebrow and two black stripes on the face. Namesake yellow bill spot is visible even from a good distance. White underwings contrast strongly with dark body in flight. Highly adaptable and quite tame, foraging in city parks and small ponds close to human settlements.

A pale-headed raptor of inland marshes and lakes. Tends to be uncommon and thinly distributed throughout its range. Adult is dark brown above with a paler belly and dirty-gray head. When in flight from below, a broad white band on the dark tail is the most eye-catching feature. Juveniles have an all-dark tail, but have two bright white panels on the undersides of the wingtips; this patterning can be similar to that of some kites, but the fish-eagle is much larger, with a longer-winged and comparatively shorter-tailed profile.

Stocky, large-headed finch with a unique crossed bill. Males are pinkish-red with black wings and two bold white wingbars. Females yellowish overall. Nomadic; breeds at any time of year, whenever there is enough food available. Prefers spruce cones. Red Crossbill also has a crossed bill, but is duller overall without white wingbars. Often in small flocks. Rarely visits feeders. Listen for distinctive “machine-gun rattle” calls and high-pitched tooting, like a toy truck.