Blue Paradise-Flycatcher

Large, bulky shorebird. Dark overall with thick red bill, staring yellow eye, and thick, light pink legs. Exclusively coastal, favors rocky shorelines where it feeds on shellfish and other invertebrates. Usually in pairs or small flocks. Occurs from Alaska to northern Baja. Listen for loud yelps and whistles, often in a rapid series when excited. Hybrids with American Oystercatcher occur locally in southern California and Baja; look for messy spotting on the belly.

Plumage relatively dull and dark: grayish brown to grayish above with weak darker streaking; dingy whitish below with heavy and rather blurry dark streaking. Also note the dark legs (pink on smaller and buffier Meadow Pipit, which often occurs in coastal grassland adjacent to Rock Pipits). Song is a bland, repetitive, high-pitched series, often accelerating towards the end. Call a high, lisping, slightly harsh "ssiip", very similar to that of Water Pipit. Like other pipits, walks strongly and often pumps its tail a little. Found along rocky coasts; infrequent inland. Often seen on rocks and adjacent areas with short grass.

Dark grayish thrasher with distinctive rufous undertail coverts. Bill long and strongly curved. Tail long and dark. Obvious dark line separating white mustache and white throat. Yellow eye. Secretive and uncommon, although perches conspicuously when singing. Found in brushy deserts. With a good view, easily distinguished from more common Curve-billed Thrasher by darker gray color and rufous undertail coverts. Listen for jumbled, rambling song.