Blue-eared Lory

Small mostly terrestrial bird of rainforest and wet eucalypt woodlands in a very small range in the Atherton Tabelands of far northern Queensland. Brownish above, grayish yellow below, with long pointed bill, long pinkish legs, and off-white eyering. Forages for insects mostly on the ground or in the lower canopy. Compare Large-billed Scrubwren, which is paler, less likely to feed on the ground, slightly smaller, and has a more twittering call. Song is variable, often including repeated two-note elements.

A small, compact finch-like sociable lark that is both resident and nomadic, although movements are poorly understood. The sexes differ in plumage: the male has a gray-brown back and wings with a scalloped pattern, and a black head with bold white ear patches that reach the back of the neck; the streaky female is variable depending on geographic range, but always has a dark belly patch and tends to be paler than other female sparrow-larks. Flocks of 20 to 100 birds (often mixed with other sparrow-larks or with Stark’s Lark) can appear in grassy patches in semi-arid shrublands and fallow fields. They shuffle along in bare patches foraging for seeds and insects.

Peak-headed diving duck. Males have black breast, finely-barred gray back, whitish sides (often slightly dusty-looking), and yellow eye. Head appears black with a purplish or greenish sheen in good light. Females are brown overall with white patch at base of bill and yellow eye. Very similar to Greater Scaup; note Lesser’s peaked head shape with angle near the rear of crown, slimmer cheeks, less extensive white stripe on wing in flight, and smaller, narrower bill. Also similar to Ring-necked Duck, but Lesser Scaup has grayer back and whiter sides. Usually in flocks or pairs on a variety of wetland habitats, from small ponds to large lakes and bays. Slightly more likely to be seen on smaller bodies of water, especially fresh water, than Greater Scaup, but much overlap. Frequently in mixed flocks with other Aythya ducks. Widespread across North America, with more southerly range extent than Greater Scaup, regularly reaching northern South America.