Little Tern

Distinctive, large bulky gray pigeon with a pale neck patch (lacking on juvenile in late summer–autumn). Neck patch is large and white throughout majority of range, but birds in Azores, Madeira, and much of western Asia have smaller, tan-colored patches. Bold white wing band striking in flight; tail broadly tipped black. Inhabits wooded and semiopen habitats, including towns and gardens. Forms flocks, especially in winter. Often rather unaware, and frequently crashes noisily and clumsily out of hedges and bushes. Display flight consists of a flap-flap-flap climb followed by a descending glide. Gives a low, throaty series of coos: “hrrruu-hoo-who-who.”

Breeding males are glossy black with purplish head and greenish sheen on body. Nonbreeding males have pale eyebrows and staring yellow eye. Females are plain dark brown and typically have dark eyes. Forages by walking on ground. Sometimes in mixed flocks with other blackbirds at feedlots. Also, walks along parking lots, golf courses, or roadsides. Females similar to Brown-headed Cowbird, but with longer, thinner bill and longer tail than cowbird.

Fairly common in the high Andes of central Chile and adjacent Argentina, where found at bogs, lakeshores, and along streams, usually with rocky slopes nearby. Migrates in winter to coast, where it occurs on rocky beaches. Relatively small and sprightly, often flicking wings and cocking its tail strongly, unlike the larger Dark-bellied and Seaside Cinclodes, which occur alongside in winter. Dark-bellied has bolder white head stripes and gray flanks (flanks brown on Gray-flanked!). Told from Buff-winged Cinclodes by colder plumage tones and white-streaked breast.