Black-tailed Waxbill

Small gray gull with red legs. Adult has red bill (younger birds have a darker bill), white head and body, pale gray "silver" wings, which have prominent black and white tips. Abundant across much of New Zealand and coastal Australia, including inland areas around waterways and rivers.

Pale brown laughingthrush with a pale face, black barring on the back, and a blue-gray wing panel. Handsome but shy and inconspicuous, foraging quietly on the ground and in shrubbery and thickets. Very similar in appearance to the rarer, more range-restricted, and dark-throated White-necklaced Laughingthrush. Note Barred’s pale, relatively unmarked throat.

Fairly small, boldly patterned diving duck that lives a seemingly dangerous life near fast-moving water and jagged rocks. Male is striking and unmistakable. Female is dark brown with small white patches on face; compare with female scoters but note smaller size and smaller bill of Harlequin. In summer, almost invariably seen in pairs on rocky streams where they breed. Gathers in small flocks on rocky coastlines in winter. Feeds on insects, fish, and aquatic invertebrates. Frequently dives underwater. Vocalizations are cute, high-pitched squeaks. In North America, more numerous in the west than in the east; also occurs in eastern Asia and Iceland.