Yemen Thrush

Remarkable odd-looking diving duck with a long tail, often held cocked. Males have a striking white face and black crown that contrasts with their large blue bill and chestnut body. Female and juveniles have a darker brown bill, more extensive dark crown and pale cheek stripe, similar to Ruddy Ducks. Silent and rarely flies. Rare and local. Usually found in shallow, open water with dense aquatic plants.

A very small seabird of southern oceans. Gray-black on head, neck, throat, and top of breast. Back and upperwing are paler in color and rump is ash-gray. Note the white belly and white underwing with a black edge. Shows relatively short black legs and square tail. Forages in deep waters of the subantarctic; in the New Zealand region, rarely seen near the mainland. Differs from other black-and-white storm-petrels by its gray rather than white rump. White-faced Storm-Petrel also has a gray rump but is larger with longer legs, white on the face, and a more bounding flight.

An easily overlooked gray finch of forest edges and farms, occurring in small groups or with mixed-species flocks, often with other species of nigrita. Males are largely gray above and black below, with dark gray wings and a very pale whitish forehead. Females are largely gray all over with darker wings, a black face mask, and a pale whitish forehead. Both males and females have pale pinkish legs. Occurs with all three other nigrita species, and males can be confused with Gray-headed Nigrita, but note Pale-fronted Nigrita’s lack of spots on the wings and pale forehead. Calls include soft “tew” notes and four descending whistles, “twe-tee-tee-tee.” The song is a longer series of descending whistles.