Mayotte White-eye

Largest of the three endemic New Zealand teal species. Both sexes are primarily dark brown in color. Male in breeding plumage has green iridescence on head. Females and juveniles are a duller dark mottled brown. Both sexes show conspicuous white eye-ring around a dark brown eye. Mostly restricted to northern North Island (Northland, Great Barrier Island, and Coromandel Peninsula). Successfully bred in captivity for reintroduction efforts across the country in predator controlled areas. Crepuscular to nocturnal, favoring margins of small streams with overhanging vegetation and even stock ponds for feeding and breeding. Distinguished from similar looking Gray Teal and vagrant Chestnut Teal by lack of red eye, and lack of obvious white patches on the upperwing.

Distinctive finch with a disjunct distribution. Males have an olive-green back with black streaks, and a contrasting face pattern with a broad white eyebrow and a black mask. Note the bicolored bill. Female lacks the bold head pattern. Inhabits well-preserved tall natural grasslands with scattered shrubs. Song is a very high, thin “tziieep...tsi-tsíp...zz-tzzz...”

Medium-sized flycatcher; rather small and slender for a Myiarchus. Extremely similar to other Myiarchus flycatchers and most easily identified by voice: listen for the plaintive, sad “wheer” call. Also note relatively dark crown, slender bill, fairly bright yellow belly, and rufous edges on secondaries. Some variation across range, but underside of tail usually quite dark, with little or no rufous. Widespread and common in Middle and South America, barely extending into the southwest U.S. Occurs in a variety of forested and semiopen habitats including oak-lined canyons, humid rainforest edges, and gardens.